Esther Smith’s A Still and Quiet Mind: Twelve Strategies for Changing Unwanted Thoughts (P&R Publishing), has been very well-received, including by The Gospel Coalition, where it was honored as their book of the year in the Christian Living category.
As I’ve been reading through (and applying) the book and strategies, I have been impressed by how scripturally-saturated and theologically-grounded it is. So I decided to collate the biblical references and the theological concepts developed throughout A Still and Quiet Mind.
Biblically-Rich, Scripturally-Saturated
By my count, and I’m sure I missed some, Esther quotes, references, develops, discusses, builds upon, and/or applies 129 biblical passages.
A Still and Quiet Mind has 140 pages of written text—so that’s almost a biblical passage developed per page.
Biblical Counseling-Aligned, Theologically-Aligned
Also by my count, Esther has 15 quotes/citations from biblical counselors and another 25 quotes/citations from pastors, theologians, commentaries, biblical word studies, etc. That’s 40 biblical counseling/theology references in 140 pages of text.
Sufficiency of Scripture-Committed
Here’s what Esther says about her approach in her own words.
“Our approach to thorough change should be faithful to Scripture. All of Scripture… We should attempt to understand how thought change fits into the overall biblical narrative. This broader perspective compels us to look at our thoughts in light of who God is, what he says about us, and how he relates to us. It opens our eyes to see our thoughts in light of God’s love for us and his plan of redemption for all parts of ourselves, including our minds” (15-16).
“None of these strategies in this book will change your thoughts on their own. Rather, the strategies I offer ‘allow us to place ourselves before God so that he can transform us.’ Romans 12:2 teaches that we are transformed by the renewing of our minds. This renewal does not happen through willpower or even by replacing our thoughts with Scripture. This renewal is a work God does in us as we are united with him and receive from him the grace and energy we need to change (see 1 Cor. 15:10; Phil. 2:12-13). We are transformed when we stand in God’s presence with unveiled faces—with intimacy and vulnerability (see 2 Cor. 3:18)” (16-17).
“Our thoughts are changed as we enter the presence of a good and loving Father who helps us believe the truth found in Scripture and who does the work of transformation for us” (16).
“Self-talk leaves God out of the picture. We have to move beyond self-talk and invite God into the conversation” (35).
“If we aren’t careful, our approaches to thought change can become rooted more in a cognitive behavioral theory of psychology than in Scripture” (35-36).
“Changing untrue, unwanted, and unbiblical thoughts requires truth and relationship. For real change to occur in our minds, we have to engage with God through prayer” (36).
Theologically-Grounded
The following placement into categories is my summary. As I read through A Still and Quiet Mind, I sought to place various of Esther’s concepts into theological categories.
- Theology Proper—God the Father: Esther discusses, applies, and builds upon the goodness of God, compassion of God, holiness of God, love of God, comfort of God, God’s glory, God’s care, waiting on God…and much more…
- Christology—God the Son: Esther discusses, applies, and builds upon Christ’s life, Christ’s practices, Christ’s spiritual disciplines, Christ’s relationships, Christ’s grace, Christ’s care, Christ’s truth, Christ’s love, Christ’s sympathy/empathy/understanding, the gentle and lowly Christ, resting in Christ…and much more…
- Pneumatology—God the Spirit: Esther discusses, applies, and builds upon the empowerment of the Spirit for change, the enlightenment of the Spirit, spiritual disciplines, spiritual warfare, the fruit of the Spirit, dependance upon the Spirit…and much more…
- Bibliology—The Sufficient Word of God: Esther discusses, applies, and builds upon 129 biblical passages in addressing the sufficiency of Scripture, praying God’s Word, evaluating our thoughts based upon God’s Word, daily Scripture reading, Scripture meditation, scriptural principles, scriptural practices…and much more…
- Anthropology: Biblical Understanding of People: Esther discusses, applies, and builds upon a theology of the heart, a Creation/Fall/Redemption biblical theology of the mind, a biblical theology of the body/brain, a comprehensive biblical theology of embodied souls (brain/mind, body/soul interaction), our ability to think both in words and pictures, in ideas and images (Hebrew—yeser for image/imagination)…and much more…
- Hamartiology—Sin: Esther discusses, applies, and builds upon confession of sin, conviction of sin, repentance, God’s forgiveness, biblical self-examination, spiritual warfare, false doctrine, temptation, rebellion, evil thoughts, lusts, spiritual adultery, heart idolatry, sufferology—a biblical theology of suffering, hurt, trauma, pain, and harm…and much more…
- Soteriology—Salvation and Sanctification: Esther discusses, applies, and builds upon the Redemptive narrative of Scripture, the Gospel, grace, the Creation/Fall/Redemption Narrative, mind renewal, union with Christ, progressive sanctification, transformation by grace, prayer, praying Scripture, praying the Psalms, praying the Lord’s Prayer, praise, worship, justification, reconciliation, forgiveness, the sensitive conscience, scrupulosity, the tender conscience, casting cares on God…and much more…
- Ecclesiology—Doctrine of the Church/Body of Christ: Esther discusses, applies, and builds upon body-life concepts such as feedback from trustworthy Christian friends, discipleship and care by mentors, soul care by counselors, finding comfort in Christian community, connecting with God’s people, corporate and private worship…and much more…
- Eschatology—Doctrine of End Times/Eternity: Esther discusses, applies, and builds upon the future glorified mind, our future glorified thinking, the promise of Heaven, thinking on things above, an eternal mindset, future hope…and much more…
- Spiritual Disciplines: Esther discusses, applies, and builds upon biblical concepts such as silence, solitude, waiting on God, Bible reading, prayer, praying Scripture, fasting, Scripture meditation, resting in God, casting cares on Christ, biblical self-examination (self-confrontation), meditation: on God’s attributes, on God’s actions/works, on God’s Word (Special Revelation), on God’s creation (General Revelation), on things above, on God’s love for us, on What God has done for us, gazing on God’s beauty, spiritual warfare, taking every thought captive…and much more…
A Biblical Mindset About Biblical Mind Renewal
Think about the sub-title of Esther’s work: Twelve Strategies for Changing Unwanted Thoughts. We might (falsely) assume that a book about strategies and methodologies of change might have a limited amount of biblical development and theological foundation. That is certainly not the case with A Still and Quiet Mind. I’d summarize Esther’s writing like this:
In A Still and Quiet Mind, Esther Smith has saturated her thinking about thinking with biblical thinking.
