Interrogating Our Thoughts

Taking Every Should & Ought Captive

By Melissa Lien

“I really should do that.”

“This is how it ought to be done.”

Sound familiar? These quiet phrases often run on repeat in our minds—shaping our choices, driving our pace, and fueling guilt or shame.

But have you ever stopped to ask: Where did these thoughts come from? Who am I listening to?

Scripture invites us to do just that. In 2 Corinthians 10:5, we’re told to “take every thought captive to obey Christ.” That means not just accepting every inner voice as true—but examining it in light of God’s Word.

Our culture, upbringing, and even our ministry environments subtly shape our thinking. We absorb expectations that can leave us burned out, performative, or numb—especially when those “shoulds” and “oughts” go unchecked.

Pause and Ask:

• Who told me this is the way it has to be?

• What’s underneath this thought?

• Does it lead to freedom in Christ—or pressure and condemnation?
  
  

Identifying harmful thoughts is just the beginning. The deeper work is replacing them with the truth of Scripture—truth that brings life, peace, and freedom.

“Let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think.”

—Romans 12:2 (NLT)

Three Questions to Reflect On:

• Am I consuming more noise than truth?

• What lies do I need to replace with God’s promises today?

• Who can I process these thoughts with? Speaking them out loud breaks their power.
  

You don’t have to stay stuck in old thought patterns. The Holy Spirit renews, reorients, and restores us from the inside out. Let’s begin there.