In Romans 8:5 I read, “Those who are dominated by the sinful nature think about sinful things, but those who are controlled by the Holy Spirit think about things that please the Spirit.” (NLT)
There are times when I feel hostage to my thoughts. I can’t get a thought out of my mind. Or I often find myself doing things I don’t want to do. I knowingly engage in self-defeating behavior. I know something is not good for me, but I do it anyway.
Romans 7:23 says, “I see a different law at work in my body—a law that fights against the law which my mind approves of. It makes me a prisoner to the law of sin which is at work in my body” (GNT).
Because of my sinful nature, I think of myself and my wants more than what God wants. It’s a battle in my mind, and I’m losing it. My old nature, who I was before Jesus changed my life, is not my friend. It is the source of all my self-defeating habits that tend to take me down.
In order to break those habits and have more control over the way I think, I need to hear and understand this truth: I don’t have to believe everything I think.
My mind lies to me all the time. Just because I think something is true doesn’t make it true. Just because I feel something is true doesn’t make it true. My mind and my emotions often lie to me. Part of spiritual growth, becoming more like Jesus, is learning to know the difference between thoughts that are true and those that are not.
One of the most important disciplines I can build in life is to challenge my own thoughts. Say to myself, “I know what I’m thinking, but is that really true?”
No matter how far I go in my spiritual walk, my old, sinful nature will keep trying to take control of my thoughts. I have to learn to question them, not just one time but throughout my day and the rest of my life!
When I start to think nobody likes me, ask if that’s really true. If I think it’s never going to get better, ask if it’s true. When I think my life is worthless, question what Satan is trying to convince me of. Then, remember what I know from God’s Word to be true.
“Those who are dominated by the sinful nature think about sinful things, but those who are controlled by the Holy Spirit think about things that please the Spirit” (Romans 8:5 NLT).
In summary, those who are dominated by the sinful nature think about sinful things, but those who are controlled by the Holy Spirit think about things that please the Spirit. I have to admit that there are times when I feel hostage to my thoughts. I find myself doing things I don’t want to do, engaging in self-defeating behavior. I know something is not good, but I do it anyway. Because of my sinful nature, I think of myself and my wants more than what God wants. My old nature is the source of all my self-defeating habits that tend to take me down. In order to have more control over the way I think, I need to hear and understand this truth: I don’t have to believe everything I think. Just because I think something is true doesn’t make it true. Just because I feel something is true doesn’t make it true. Part of spiritual growth is learning to know the difference between thoughts that are true and those that are not. My old, sinful nature will keep trying to take control of my thoughts. I have to learn to question them, not just one time but throughout my day and the rest of my life! I need to remember what I know from God’s Word to be true.
Father, I thank you for providing me a way to combat my thoughts by replacing them with what you have told me is true. I ask with the help of the Holy Spirit in my life to keep this in mind when my mind goes awry and off track. I ask you also for wisdom and guidance for my day, my work, my leadership and my interactions with others. I also pray for healing for Jeanne and myself from our head colds. I trust you for my next job role, however, I would like to be encouraged by some news or promising prospects. These things I pray in you Son Jesus’ name, amen.
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