A Prayer For A Clear Mind

As we walk through our life’s journey, we will encounter circumstances that cause chaos in our minds. Extreme grief from a loss or rejection, anxiety about something one is facing, worries about tomorrow, or sadness from the hurts caused by others—regardless of the source, such things cause chaos in our minds. The good thing is that though being a Christian does not mean a stormless life, it means we have a stormproof life in Christ. In (John 16:33 “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”), Jesus tells us that He has given us our peace and that despite encountering tribulations in our lives, we can take heart, for He has overcome the world.

Heavenly Father, I thank You because we can have peace even in times of storm and chaos, for our peace does not rest in our circumstances but in Christ alone. Christ is our very peace. In Jesus’ name, I pray. Amen.

How Do We Clear Our Minds in Times of Chaos?

First, there is a practical way to clear our minds when we encounter a situation that causes chaos. That is to exercise reason and look at things objectively. This is a habit that we should develop, especially if we are used to being sensitive whenever we encounter circumstances that cause us emotional distress. The chaos in our minds is mostly due to our emotions; so we mustn’t let our emotions get the best of us. Instead, we should objectively use the logical part of our brains and look at our circumstances reasonably. That way, we can clear our minds of the emotions clouding our judgment and decide what to do next.

These practical ways to respond to the chaos in our minds also have their biblical groundings. (2 Timothy 1:7  For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love and self-discipline.) Titus 2:11-12, and (Proverbs 25:28 Like a city whose walls are broken through is a person who lacks self-control.) teach us about exercising self-control and how God’s grace enables us to do this in times of great distress when emotions cloud our minds. We have the choice not to be driven by our emotions through exercising self-control.

When it comes to exercising reason so that we may look at things objectively, (Proverbs 14:15 The simple believe anything,  but the prudent give thought to their steps.) tells us about what a prudent person does. He or she does not just believe anything but gives thought to his or her steps. Giving thought to one’s steps or what they are doing means being self-aware. From there, one can decide whether he or she is being reasonable with what he or she is doing or whether emotions are simply leading him or her. It also allows a person to look at the circumstances objectively.

However, the best way to respond to the chaos in our minds is by going directly to God’s truth and meditating on it. While reason and looking at things objectively will help, those are just the tip of the iceberg. For example, let’s say you discovered that a group of church members has been gossiping about you. This is a horrible circumstance to find yourself in—not only are you hurt and feeling betrayed, but it would also be very hard to process how fellow believers could do such a thing. Realizing that you can never control the behavior of others, you may keep yourself from getting consumed by anger, bitterness, or even sadness by taking responsibility for your emotions and exercising reason and discernment. You respond with grace and mercy because you know you are accountable to God and not to others. Therefore, you strive to be Christlike, not to please others but to glorify God (1 Corinthians 10:31 and (Romans 14:12  So then, each of us will give an account of ourselves to God.).

That only scratches the surface. To deal with and cope with our circumstances most effectively, we must meditate and go back to truths that tell us about Who God is. The book of Psalms is filled with such verses. We see that, in the end, David’s refuge is not some practical way to respond but magnifies Who God is (Psalm 34:1-3 and Psalm 57:7-11). The truths we meditate upon are not limited to Who God is; any biblical truths ought to bring us comfort and peace. For example, if things seem chaotic, meditating on Romans 8:28 and Genesis 50:20 gives us peace in knowing that God is sovereign over everything and that because of this, He can work all things for our good. As we get peace from God’s Word, we start to have a clear mind with which we can see things from such a perspective.

How Do We Pray to God for a Clear Mind?

We pray to God for a clear mind by asking God to give us peace through the ministry of the Holy Spirit upon us. We also pray and ask God for a clear mind by confessing to God certain truths that bring peace and clarity to our minds. The first step is simply coming to God in humility (1 Peter 5:6-7). We know we alone cannot handle whatever distressing situation we have found ourselves in. Therefore, there is only one refuge to Whom we can run, and that is God. That is why we ask God not just to calm our minds and give us peace but also to give us the grace that we need to fix our eyes on Jesus (Mark 4:35-41). The second step is confessing through prayer the truths that bring clarity and peace to our minds. That is in line with what we mentioned above regarding going to God’s truth and meditating upon it. This gives us clarity and brings us to the reality of the situation from the Bible’s perspective.

Below is an example of prayer in line with the sample scenario we have given above concerning being gossiped about by others:

Father in heaven, I come to You because You are the only One I can depend on in such grievous times. Given the hurt I have received from other believers who have gossiped about me, I don’t know what to think. I know that I cannot control their actions, but I can control mine by not being led by the flesh but by the Spirit by showing Christlikeness toward them. But still, it is hard. Help me manage my emotions, Father, and fix my eyes on Christ, my peace. You said in Your Word that You work all things for my good and that whatever evil others do to me, you can work it for my good. In Jesus’ name, I pray. Amen.

The sovereignty of God (Psalm 97) is one of the many truths that ought to bring us peace in times of chaos. It allows us to look at our circumstances more objectively and with clarity. We know that no matter what happens in our lives, God is sovereign and works all things for the good of those who love Him and have been called according to His purpose. Because of the peace we receive from God, we can look at our circumstances more clearly.