Courtney Gilmore “Think about butterflies” is still my code phrase for “Courtney, change your thoughts.”
When my daughter was little, she went through a phase of being scared at night and she didn’t want me to leave her room until she was asleep… and she did not fall asleep quickly. She knew logically that there was nothing to be afraid of, but her imagination told her a different story. This was my first attempt at teaching her how to change her thoughts.
I said, “You know there’s nothing to be afraid of. So, instead of thinking of all the bad things that could possibly happen, but probably never will, think about something you love instead. Think about butterflies. Just tell yourself every time a scary thought comes into your mind that you’re not going to think about that. Instead, you’re going to think about butterflies and how pretty they are fluttering around the flowers. Then, think about all the different flowers, and all the colors, and the pretty butterflies flying all around.
“Try to fall asleep thinking about that. If a bad thought creeps in, then just do it all over again. You might have to do it over and over for a while, but, eventually, you won’t think about the scary things any more. Then you won’t be scared.”
Think on These Things
I’d like to say that this worked like a charm and my barely four-year old drifted off to sleep every night after that thinking about butterflies and flowers and she was never scared again. But, we all know that’s a fairytale that never happened.
It’s hard to change our thoughts. I’m ashamed to say I still have to tell myself to think about butterflies, or at least the adult version of something prettier and better than what I’m focusing on at the moment. Here’s what Paul told the Philippians:
Whatever things are true, whatever things are noble (honorable or right), whatever things are just (fair), whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue (excellence) and if there is anything worthy of praise – meditate (think) on these things.
Philippians 4:8
We All Do It
I know we’re not unique. I bet you’ve been there. You’ve pictured something you shouldn’t. You have fixed your mind on it. You’ve thought one scared, worried, pitiful, depressing, or angry thought, then another, and another, until they took on a life of their own.
Feeling like that is miserable enough. But our thoughts can also lead us to do things that we shouldn’t. That’s why Jesus says that just thinking about sinning is wrong. So, go ahead and add sinful thoughts to that list, too.
You have heard that it was said to those of old, “You shall not commit adultery.” But I say to you that whoever looks at a woman to lust for her, as already committed adultery with her in his heart. If your right eye causes you to sin, pluck it out and cast it from you. For it is more profitable for you that one of your members perish, than for your whole body to be cast into hell. If you right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and cast it from you. For it is more profitable for you that one of your members perish, than for your whole body to be cast into hell.
Matthew 5:27-30
Setting Your Heart and Mind
This word for lust literally means to set our heart or mind on them. It begins with our eyes. If we look at someone and then look away, not giving them a second thought, then no problem. But when we see someone, and we can’t get them out of our mind (our mind is set on them), or we begin to have feelings for them (having our heart set on them), then we’re sinning.
That’s why He says if our eye causes us to sin, we should cut it out. It all begins with a look. Jesus doesn’t really want us to put our eye out or cut off our hand. He’s trying to demonstrate that if anything that we SEE or FEEL causes us to sin, then we need to remove it from our mind or heart. The moment the thought or feeling comes, we must dismiss it quickly, so we don’t sin. AKA: Think about Butterflies.
You may think you won’t. You’d never actually do it. But don’t fool yourself. You’re setting yourself up for failure when you entertain thoughts or feelings that would be sin if you acted on them.
Sin in Your Heart
But, also, if you do succeed to stop before you act on it, you’ve already sinned in your heart. Even if it’s never revealed to anyone else, you’ve done it a million times in your head. You know and God knows.
The heart is deceitful above all things and desperately wicked. Who can know it? I the Lord search the heart and test the mind, even to give every man according to his ways, according to the fruit of his doings.
Jeremiah 17:9-10
So, stop it early before it grows and takes on a life of its own. Continuing to dwell on it, isn’t leading anywhere good. You’re definitely going in the wrong direction. Temptations do grow into actions if we entertain them long enough.
Each one is tempted when he is drawn away by his own desires and enticed. Then, when desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin, and sin, when it is full-grown, brings forth death.
James 1:14-15
When Jesus said to poke out our eye or cut off our hand, He was trying to demonstrate that physical, temporary, or emotional loss & pain is much better than the permanent, eternal, spiritual loss & pain we could experience if we set our mind and heart on someone or something that we should not.
So, this wasn’t a one time thing with my daughter or with my son. I’ve said it many more times over the years, because I want them to always remember they have the power to change their thoughts and feelings. So, do I and so do you.
So… THINK ABOUT BUTTERFLIES before it’s too late.
Take every thought captive to make it obedient to Christ.
2 Corinthians 10:5
Excerpt from Episode 107 “The Sacred Union of Marriage” on Podcast and YouTube
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