“Let God transform . . the way you think.” Romans 12:2 NLT
“What you sow in your thoughts grows elsewhere as weeds or fruit.”
My thoughts today are about “your thought life.”
It is not always automatic to understand how much everything else is related to “the way you think.” Your thoughts are the seed bed from which all else springs. What you sow in your thoughts grows elsewhere as fruit or weeds. More often, you will not feel right until you think right; it’s hard to believe right unless you think right; you probably will not do right except you think right. What you think impacts what you feel (emotions), what you ultimately believe (convictions), and eventually what you do (actions). You learn how to direct and control your thoughts, or your thoughts will control you. The Bible says, “As a man thinks in his heart, so is he.” Proverbs 23:7 NKJV.
Thoughts can be stubbornly resistant to change. Trying harder does not gain control of your thoughts. Willpower is not enough. Willpower can produce some brief change, but also creates a level of stress that soon pulls you back to your old, familiar way of thinking. Wrong thinking is a habit, and habits are hard to break.
There is even a spiritual dimension in your struggle for mastering thoughts. The enemy understands well the importance and vulnerability of your thought life. Paul uses the analogy of warfare in his discussion about thoughts, and the mind and its thoughts are the arena for the battle, “The weapons of our warfare . . are mighty through God for the pulling down of strongholds. Casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against (is contrary to) the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ.” 2 Corinthians 10:3-5 NKJV. There, in your mind, so many battles are fought, and where all are won or lost.
That is so wonderfully exciting and reassuring, but begs the question: how do I accomplish that? The Bible’s answer is simple, “Let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think.” Romans 12:2 NLT. Too simple, you say? Yes, but do you know of a better way? Where does God start to change you? By changing the way you think! Read Philippians 4:8-9 NIV. You can change your life by changing the way you think.
I think we fail because we try to start at the wrong place. Power over your thoughts begins at the place God directs you, “God helping you: take your everyday life, ordinary life – your sleeping, eating, going to work, and walking around life – and place it before God as an offering . . fix your attention on God. You will be changed from the inside out.” Romans 12:1-3 The Message. Controlling your thoughts doesn’t begin with your wrestling for mastery there; victory comes when you surrender all that you are and have to God. That’s when you are like-minded with Christ. See Philippians 2:2-12 NIV.
My prayer for you today is that your thoughts be as His and your mind be at peace.