Taking Thoughts Captive

Working with the public shaped me in ways no classroom ever could.

As a teenager, I landed a job at a local service station—which, for those who don’t know, was a place where people came for light mechanical work. When a car pulled up to the pump, a bell would ring and someone (usually me) would come out, pump gas, clean windows, and make small talk.

It didn’t take long to figure out which customers I enjoyed seeing—and which ones made me cringe the moment they rolled onto the lot. Some were kind and encouraging. Others? Not so much. I have story after story of people taking advantage of my kindness or criticizing my work when they had no idea what they were talking about.

What surprised me most wasn’t just how they treated me—it was how those interactions affected my thoughts. Around the difficult customers, my mind would fill with irritation and even anger. I’d imagine things I knew I shouldn’t. But when I saw the customers I liked? I found myself thinking of ways to go above and beyond. To serve more, bless more, be better.

That’s when an old story came to life for me—the one about the two wolves. A wise chief said that inside every man there’s a battle between two wolves: one good, one evil. When asked which wolf wins, he replied, “The one you feed.”

I realized I was feeding the wrong one.

I was letting external circumstances dictate my internal dialogue. And that’s a dangerous combination. Scripture reminds us that part of growing in Christ is learning to take every thought captive—but what does that actually mean?

For me, it starts with two things:

1. Recognize there’s a battle.
   Not every thought is from God. The enemy is subtle. He plants lies, doubt, and destruction where we least expect it.
2. Discern the source.
   If the thought brings life, hope, conviction, or glorifies God—it’s worth keeping.
   If it brings shame, fear, condemnation, or selfishness—it needs to go.

What makes this difficult is our ability to justify our behaviors through internal dialogue, which is why it’s so important to create space for reflection and prayer—not to determine what’s justifiable, but what truly aligns with what God desires first and foremost.

The evil one is a master liar. He doesn’t come with a red flag—he comes with a whisper that sounds just enough like truth to let it in. That’s why Scripture memory, prayer, and accountability matter. They help us train our minds to filter what’s real and reject what’s destructive.

We can’t always control what thoughts enter—but we can control which ones stay.

Reflection Questions:

1. What kind of thoughts are you feeding the most right now?
2. How can you start filtering your thoughts through the lens of God's truth this week?