A couple of weeks ago, as I was talking with the Lord, He spoke these words to me: You can whine your way through this battle or you can worship your way through it!
Ha! I laughed when He said it, and I’m still laughing!
Why? Because it’s so right on!

The God of the Universe, my Dad, my Friend, my Father, reminded me, in His sweet, gentle and gracious way, that what was going on in my mind and heart, was beginning to show up in my words and actions.
You see, when we are in a battle, when things feel difficult or the way seems blocked, it can be tempting, especially if the battle seems to last longer than we expected, to turn from praise, to turn from worship, and actually begin to complain.

Maybe not on the outside, at least not right away.
It usually begins with a thought. A “that’s not fair, why me?” kind of thought. Or a “if only things were this way…then…” kind of thought.
And if we aren’t intentional in taking those thoughts captive, to uproot those tiny seeds of discontent or bitterness or anger or judgement, they begin to grow.
And where faith once resided, hopelessness begins to grow. And where love once resided, bitterness begins to grow.
All from a thought? All from a seed?
Yes! Our thoughts are powerful and taking those thoughts captive is vital!

Paul said in 2 Corinthians 10:5 to: take every thought captive to the obedience of Christ. 
I love how the NCV and TPT say it:

• We capture every thought and make it give up and obey Christ. 2 Corinthians 10:5 NCV
• We capture, like prisoners of war, every thought and insist that it bow in obedience to the Anointed One. 2 Corinthians 10:5 TPT

Yes, we are in a war, but the outcome has already been decided! Jesus has won the victory and proclaimed the victory!
We can whine our way through the battle – like I was doing (help us, Jesus!). Or we can worship our way through it! Either way, we will get through it. The battle’s already been won!
But I, for one, am choosing once again to worship my way through it!

Whining does no one any good! It only furthers our own hurt and hopelessness and plants those seeds in those around us as well!
Thankfully, there’s a cure! A beautiful, ready-right-now, you-don’t-have-to-wait-any-longer cure!
It’s called repentance!

If you’ve been stuck in a cycle of whining, in a cycle of complaining, in a cycle of it’s-not-fair, woe-is-me (whether it’s only begun on the inside or it’s started showing up on the outside) you can be free today!
Simply repent of the judgments you’ve made in your heart! Release forgiveness for those you need to forgive and receive forgiveness from your Heavenly Father.

Then choose to take your thoughts captive! As people or situations come back into your mind, choose to take those thoughts captive – every time! And like Paul said in 2 Corinthians: insist that your thoughts bow in obedience to Jesus.

They will, you know. It may take some practice again. And it will definitely take some intentionality – especially if your thoughts have been running free for awhile!
But before you know it, taking them captive will get easier and easier. You will have built up your taking-your-thoughts-captive-muscles again!
And you’ll be worshipping – not whining – your way through the battle, your way through the day, your way through life!

All of Heaven is cheering you on! And so are your brothers and sisters!
You are a conqueror! You are powerful! Your thoughts and your words are more powerful than you know!
Choose repentance. Choose intentionality. Choose worship!

For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does. The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ. 2 Corinthians 10:3-5 NIV

Lord, You are my God; I will exalt You and praise Your name, for in perfect faithfulness You have done wonderful things, things planned long ago. Isaiah 25:1 NIV