The activity of thinking comes in many disguises.

Thinking can be quiet, loud, scary, peaceful, progressive, or a completely thoughtless exercise.

Some thinking isn’t thinking at all.

Examples of thoughtless thinking:

• A mental rehearsal of the day’s activities.
• A repetition of the same thoughts.
• An echo of someone else’s thoughts.
• Reminders.
• Arguing.

Fake thinking leads nowhere. It can even make a person believe all is well when it is not. Pretend thinking can make a person believe they are dutifully praying, healing, or doing God’s will, when they are not. Imitation thinking blames other people, the economy, or the times in which we live, for their problems.

Studies led by the University of Virginia found that most people would rather be doing something than just sitting alone with their thoughts.

In the studies, college students were asked to sit in a room by themselves and think. They were asked not to fall asleep and not to get out of the chair.

They had the opportunity to give their self a little electrical shock. Within a 15 minute time lapse, 67% of the men and 25% of the women shocked themselves, even though they knew they didn’t like it.

Religion and philosophies remind us to be silent. And, that’s a good start, however, silence may not recognize the false thinking that goes on at other times.

Repeating the thoughts of another person, for example, Christ Jesus, may be useful, but it isn’t our own. It’s only that, an example. But, we can use that example to learn to think for our self with God.

It requires thinking to know God, then we can align our self with thoughts of God.

Here are different versions of Psalm 46:10:

“Be still, and know that I am God. I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth!” (ESV)

“That’s enough! Now know that I am God! I am exalted among all nations; I am exalted throughout the world!” (CEB)

“Stop your fighting—and know that I am God, exalted among the nations, exalted on the earth.” (HCSB)