We have agency in deciding how we engage our thoughts
The psychological power to direct how we think has its positive side in our living consciousness of Christ. But that power is largely one of dismissing thoughts originating from this old life's motivational structure. We know old habits are hard to break, but the decision to dwell or not to dwell in thought upon certain things is the freedom secured for us by our vision of Christ. The Abba Evagrius (who died in 399) taught:
There are eight principal thoughts, from which all other thoughts stem. The first thought is of gluttony; the second, of fornication; the third, of love of money; the fourth, of discontent; the fifth, of anger; the sixth, of despondency; the seventh, of vainglory; the eith, of pride. Whether these thoughts disturb the soul or not does not depend on us; but whether they linger in us or not and set passions in motion or not – does depend on us.
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