You might be one of those individuals who finds yourself tangled in a never-ending psychological maze. You doubt your competence, you fear others will figure out your vulnerabilities and insecurities, or you not only worry that God doesn’t love you, but any day now, He will “teach you a lesson” because you haven’t been good enough. Despite being illogical, you might try processing your thoughts through a straightforward cognitive line of seemingly productive thinking, only to eventually realize you’ve taken a wrong turn in the complex neural network of your mind. It’s easy to see this as just a part of life, but this is not how you’re meant to live inside your own head. If you rely on overthinking as a go-to reaction to everyday situations, it can be quite the frustrating predicament. Insecurities that you have developed over time often cloud your self-perception of competence and the devil is right there to reaffirm this dismal view. The mind goes into survival mode and your imagination begins providing you with crystal-clear premonitions of failing. In this discussion, overthinking will be addressed with clinical psychological insights along with practical principles found in the Word of God.
When you’re overthinking, you often spend more time ruminating on past events or worrying about the future (Nolen-Hoeksema, 2000). There’s a stark contrast between overthinking and productive thinking. While productive thinking focuses on solutions, overthinking leaves you ensnared in relentless thought patterns that don’t provide any avenues for escape (Watkins, 2008). Reflective thought is a helpful tool that can lead you to objective insights that help solve problems. Conversely, overthinking only leads you down a path of feelings that can be overwhelming and desperate. Overthinking pushes you to be afraid of situations, people, or circumstances, losing sight of how God is working for you to work out His promises in your life. Look at Deuteronomy 31:6 where God promises to be with the children of Isreal:
“Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the Lord your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you.”
The antecedent of “them” in this verse refers to the mighty enemies in the land that God had given to Isreal, the Promised Land flowing with milk and honey. You can imagine how this undertaking may have caused a lot of overthinking in the hearts of many in Isreal. When I read this verse, I hear God saying, “Do not be afraid or terrified of your negative thoughts of incompetence or your fear-driven feelings of desperation. God wanted to change their focus!
Identifying the Clear Indicators of Overthinking
It’s helpful for you to recognize the signs of overthinking. This awareness alone can help you understand the direction your thoughts are tending toward. “Just realizing that this habitual way of thinking contributes to your stress can bring you clarity in managing this heavy cognitive load” (Borkovec, Ray, & Stöber, 1998).
As a Christian, you might be borrowing far more than your share of trouble. The devil knows that whatever comes into your focus will grow. His primary objective is to manufacture conditions in your life that steal your focus, where you reflexively bind your self up, stuffing you in a cage of self-perception that is locked from the inside. Below are some common indicators to help you identify overthinking and principles from God’s Word to contend with the lies that the devil whispers to you:
9 Indicators of Overthinking
- Spending long stretches of time worrying about things you can’t control: Jesus teaches us in Matthew 6:27, “Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life?”
You might have noticed that worry often tricks you into thinking you have control. It can feel like when you worry and overthink about potential dangers, you’re somehow preparing yourself or protecting what what’s important to you. Worry achieves nothing positive, however, if you let it, it can gently nudge you towards developing a deeper trust in God’s care.
- Always interpreting people and situations defensively: Proverbs 19:11 reminds us, “A person’s wisdom yields patience; it is to one’s glory to overlook an offense.”
When you make the choice to pause and evaluate a situation before jumping in, you naturally find a clearer viewpoint that shields you from unnecessary emotional stress that causes you to make impulsive choices. Wisdom produces patience. It allows you to see offense through a wider lens. This will often help you realize that what seemed important might not deserve your initial reaction.
- Ruminating on past events and having trouble moving on from them: Isaiah 43:18-19 encourages, “Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. See, I am doing a new thing!”
Often, fixating on negative experiences that have already occurred keeps you tethered to feelings of pain, regret, or limiting beliefs. In Isaiah, you find an invitation to focus ahead, to observe what’s unfolding right now, and to create space for God to show you something good and new. Getting stuck in the past can breed complacency, but by shifting your attention to what God is doing “now,” you are able discover what He is showing you.
- Engaging in negative thought patterns as your baseline: Philippians 4:8 advises, “Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right… think about such things.”
In moments of doubt or distress, you can ask yourself, “Is this thought true? Is it noble? Does it align with my values and beliefs?” By moving your thoughts in this direction, you can easily replace negative or distorted thinking with beliefs that reflect your highest values and purpose.
- Automatically imagining worst-case scenarios and projecting your fears onto everything: 2 Timothy 1:7 states, “For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.”
The “spirit of fear” can feel overwhelming and, at times, paralyzing. It can make you feel small, limited, or unworthy. However, reshaping fear as something external helps you to not identify with or engaging with it. Fear is not from God! He offers a spirit of power, love, and a sound mind. Recognizing this enables you to see fear as separate from your true self, allowing you to observe, understand, and eventually overcome it.
- Replaying perceived mistakes in your mind, regardless of their relevance to your current situation: Romans 8:1 assures us, “Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.”
Embracing self-acceptance allows you to see yourself like God sees you, accepting you unconditionally but hating the sin that getting between you and Him. The assurance of “no condemnation” helps release your self from the pull of past mistakes, so you can start seeing yourself as deserving of love and growth—just as you are, free from shame.
- Allowing insecurities to scrutinize every minute detail in your daily life: Psalm 139:14 exclaims, “I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made.”
Shift your focus from perceived flaws to the incredible uniqueness of your being. Acknowledging that you are “wonderfully made” allows you to recognize your worthiness and value, going beyond what anyone else might say or think. Appreciate your strengths, quirks, and individuality as divine expressions of craftsmanship.
- Reliving embarrassing moments from your past, amplifying your insecurities: Philippians 3:13 encourages, “Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead.”
Reframe the past as something that informs but doesn’t define you. While past experiences hold valuable lessons, they don’t have to steer your future. If you feel confined by previous events or stuck in regret, realize you can engage actively with your present and future instead of letting the past hang heavily over your thoughts or actions.
- Straining to find hidden meanings in others’ communication, which only serves to hurt your self-perception: Ephesians 4:29 instructs, “Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up.”
Consider how your words affect others and to make a conscious effort to express yourself in ways that reflect kindness, respect, and encouragement. Remember, even during frustrating moments, you have the power to choose words that build up rather than tear down. This can be especially useful if you’re navigating challenges around anger, criticism, or self-expression.
When you find yourself caught in the web of anxiety and overthinking, you might be concentrating more on your own abilities rather than realizing the power of God. In most cases, the remedy for overthinking is simply being vulnerable. You don’t have to keep patching up your defenses. Instead, imagine the relief of being honest with yourself and others by admitting that you could use some help. When you’re in a cycle of anxious thoughts, you often begin struggling to create conditions that validate you in the eyes of those around you.
These overthinking patterns can create tight restrictions on your mind, impeding your ability to connect with others. Picture yourself in a conversation while a chaotic circus plays out inside your head. It’s very distracting. Overthinking prevents you from truly connecting with both yourself and those around you, trapping you in a relentless cycle of troubling thoughts (Bastian & Haslam, 2010). How can you grow your ability to manage your mind and, in turn, regulate your life? The answer lies in practicing.
Final Thoughts
By recognizing those patterns of overthinking and understanding how they affect your life, you can naturally begin moving toward freeing yourself from the mental chaos. It’s okay to embrace vulnerability. Embracing vulnerability in a resilient way allows to be free from the judgment that you or anyone else heaps on your self.
Understanding who you are through God’s eyes, can help you easily quiet the chaos in your mind. See Him as loving and always desiring your good. Your idea of good and His idea of good may not fit together, but this is where trusting in His promises allows you to experience that wonderful peace that goes beyond all understanding.
As you break free from the chains of overthinking, you can step confidently into the abundant life that God has laid out for you. It’s an interesting journey of growth, and believing in the process is key. By realizing the most sacred gift God has equipped you with, the freedom of choice, you have the power to recognize and change your negative thought patterns. Enjoy this adventure of self-discovery and awareness, knowing you’re capable of so much more!
Work Cited
Bastian, B., & Haslam, N. (2010). Excluded from humanity: The dehumanizing effects of social ostracism. Journal of Experimental Social Psychology, 46(1), 107–113. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jesp.2009.06.022
Bible Gateway. (n.d.). Bible Gateway. Retrieved from https://www.biblegateway.com
Borkovec, T. D., Ray, W. J., & Stöber, J. (1998). Worry: A cognitive phenomenon intimately linked to affective, physiological, and interpersonal behavioral processes. Cognitive Therapy and Research, 22(6), 561–576. https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1018790003416
Nolen-Hoeksema, S. (2000). The role of rumination in depressive disorders and mixed anxiety/depressive symptoms. Journal of Abnormal Psychology, 109(3), 504–511. https://doi.org/10.1037/0021-843X.109.3.504
Watkins, E. R. (2008). Constructive and unconstructive repetitive thought. Psychological Bulletin, 134(2), 163–206. https://doi.org/10.1037/0033-2909.134.2.163