Change My Thoughts, Change My Life

In Proverbs 4:23 I read, “Be careful how you think; your life is shaped by your thoughts.” (GNT)

God is far more interested in changing my mind than changing my circumstances.

I would like God to take away all of the problems, pain, sorrow, suffering, sickness, and sadness. But God wants to work on me first, because transformation won’t happen in my life until I renew my mind, until my thoughts begin to change.

It’s extremely important that I learn how to manage my mind. I need to manage my mind because my thoughts control my life. Proverbs 4:23 reminds me, “Be careful how you think; your life is shaped by your thoughts” (GNT). My thoughts have a tremendous ability to shape my life for good or for bad. For example, maybe I’ve accepted the thought someone told me when I was growing up: “You’re worthless and you don’t matter.” If I accepted that thought, even though it was wrong, it shaped my life.

Manage my mind because the mind is the battleground for sin. All temptation happens in the mind. Paul says in Romans 7:22-23, “I love to do God’s will so far as my new nature is concerned; but there is something else deep within me, in my lower nature, that is at war with my mind and wins the fight and makes me a slave to the sin that is still within me. In my mind I want to be God’s willing servant, but instead I find myself still enslaved to sin” (TLB). One of the reasons why I get mentally fatigued is because there’s a battle in my brain 24 hours a day. It’s debilitating because it’s intense, and it’s intense because my mind is my greatest asset. Satan wants my greatest asset!

Manage my mind because it’s the key to peace and happiness. An unmanaged mind leads to tension; a managed mind leads to tranquility. An unmanaged mind leads to conflict; a managed mind leads to confidence. An unmanaged mind leads to stress. (When I don’t try to control my mind and the way I direct my thoughts, I will have an enormous amount of stress in life.) But a managed mind leads to strength, security, and serenity.

The Bible teaches, “Letting your sinful nature control your mind leads to death. But letting the Spirit control your mind leads to life and peace” (Romans 8:6 NLT). Choose life and peace for myself today.

In summary, I need to be careful in how I think; for my life is shaped by my thoughts. What I’m finding is that God is far more interested in changing my mind than in changing my circumstances. I would like God to take away all of the problems, pain, sorrow, suffering, sickness, and sadness. But God wants to work on me first, and transformation won’t happen until I renew my mind, and my thoughts begin to change. It’s extremely important to manage my mind, because my thoughts will control my life. Manage my mind because it's the battleground for sin. All temptation happens in the mind. One of the reasons why I get mentally fatigued is because there’s a battle in my brain 24 hours a day. It’s debilitating because it’s intense, and it’s intense because my mind is my greatest asset, and Satan wants to control it! Manage my mind because it’s the key to peace and happiness. An unmanaged mind leads to tension; a managed mind leads to tranquility, confidence, strength, security and serenity. An unmanaged mind leads to conflict and stress. So choose life and peace by controlling my mind and my thoughts.

My heart, my feelings of love and desire, dictate to a great extent how I live, because I always find time to do what I enjoy. Solomon tells me to guard my heart above all else, making sure I concentrate on those desires that will keep me on the right path. I need to make sure my affections push me in the right direction. So learn to put boundaries on my desires: Don't go after everything I see. Look straight ahead, keep my eyes fixed on my goal, and don't get sidetracked on detours that lead to sin.

Father, thank you for Your Word and Jesus as my savior and example. You want me and I need you in my life. Please give me Your strength for today and remind me in little ways that I can always believe in, have faith in and can trust you in everything. This includes being the authority for my life, the source of my self-worth and my hope for the future. You have my best interests in mind. So I ask you to help me to embrace the way you’ve made me; my gifting and passions. Help me to serve and fulfill the mission you have in mind for me. 

Father, help remind me to control my mind and my thoughts. Allow me to concentrate on the building of my character so that I can be of use to you.

Today, I ask for wisdom and guidance for my day, my work, my leadership, my interactions with others, doing well and making a difference in my new job.  I pray all these things through you Son Jesus’ name, Amen.