Stop overthinking! (Part 1)
Search me, O God, and know my heart; Try me, and know my anxieties. Psalm 139:23
It is easy for us to fall into the trap of overthinking, which leads us nowhere but to a death loop. We often overthink things as a way of coping, “I have to figure it out.” So we start analyzing and ruminating over things, hopefully finding the solution and root cause by thinking about them.
Aren't our minds created to think and solve problems? There is no question that we need to think, but we shouldn't overthink. Here's what I mean by overthinking: Overthinking is an obsessive thought pattern that creates anxiety, worry and fear. We unknowingly chase doubt, feed worry and anxiety and fall into a spiral of depression and hopelessness eventually.
It appears "deep" and "helpful", like being introspective and digging deeply into something to satisfy our intellect, or “I am aware and observing the situation”. However, in reality, it may just stare at the problems that fuel obsessive thoughts and magnify them.
Overthinking is not just a problem for people with mental illness or OCD. We often try to solve problems and riddles, thinking from every angle and in every possible way to arrive at some sense of "peace”. Despite the fact that we may somehow "solve" the first subject, another will come to mind, and since we are human and have finite minds, we don't know all the answers, and God's thoughts are not our thoughts. (Isaiah 55:8)
Overthinking is often motivated by fear as we want to control the possible outcome. Therefore, the more we think, the more likely we are to paralyze ourselves from taking action, so more excuses will arise for not moving forward. Overthinking breeds perfectionism and procrastination mindsets that cripple us and prevent us from taking action.
Furthermore, overthinking has the potential to be addictive, as it creates a false sense of comfort and peace. When we retreat into our own minds, we feel safe. Some people overthink other people's problems as an escape from their own problems, which distracts them from facing their similar brokenness and reality.
By overthinking, we are less engaged in the present, such as building meaningful relationships with God and others that require intentional presence. Overthinking is, therefore, a "grand distractor"; it interferes with connecting with God and others, robs us of our peace, and can be unloving and unkind to ourselves because it is "abusive" to our minds.
Part 2 will explore what is the true depth, how to stop overthinking, and how to live in grace and truth with childlike faith.
Blessing prayer: Help us set your minds on things above, for your thoughts are not our thoughts. In Jesus’ name, Amen
