What have you been thinking about?

What have you been thinking about this morning?

• “I didn’t sleep well last night”
• “I have to deal with that thing I never addressed last week”
• “How will I ever get through this day”
• “My __________ hurts so bad”
• “I can’t believe that he/she _____________”
• “Friday is sooooo far away”
• “I sure hope that _____________ doesn’t happen again this week”
• “Oh yeah, last week ____________happened and I still have to deal with the aftermath”

If you started your day off thinking about these things, I can tell you with a fair degree of certainty that you have already been heaping some stress, discouragement and frustration on your own head.

Here is the reality of the statements above: they may all be true and they may all deal with actual thoughts, feelings and desires that you have.

And yet, these thoughts are not necessarily helpful towards a healthy perspective, a hopeful outlook and a posture of victory.

If on the other hand you and I want to set ourselves up to succeed, to overcome and to make a difference, we need to train our minds to think on different things.

The Bible says we need to think on the things that are true, noble, right, pure, lovely, admirable, excellent and praiseworthy. It says this back to back with admonition to present all of our requests to the Lord (with thanksgiving). The Bible then goes on to assure us that we will have the peace of God at work in our lives. (See Philippians 4:4-8)

So how shall we think then? Consider all of the reality statements above but put them in the context of healthy thinking instead:

• Think on things that are true:

“Although I am tired, I know that God offers His energy to be powerfully at work within me. God please supply that energy to me and thank you for hearing my cry”

• Think on things that are noble:

“I never addressed that thing last week so I will work diligently to give give an answer/provide what is needed so as to honor God and bless the other people involved”

• Think on things that are pure:

“The day ahead of me may be long, but I know that with God’s help I will resist complaining or being negative and instead will think as the circumstances as opportunities”

• Think on things that are lovely:

“I know that my ________ hurts right now, but it sure is amazing and lovely that God supplies all my needs and is an amazing healer and sustainer”

• Think on things that are admirable:

“Although that person ________________ I choose to also see the good things they do and say. It really is commendable how they _______________”

• Think on things that are excellent:

“Friday is a long way off but I know that between now and then I will see, hear and learn so much. Lord help me to live in and give thanks in every moment”

• Think on things that are praiseworthy:

“God you do all things well! Although last week and really each day has enough trouble of its own, I know that you are working diligently to save, deliver, provide and protect. Thank you that you are with me and for me and that I am not alone”

And so you can see that each reality in your and my life can absolutely be turned around through prayer, thanksgiving, perspective and thinking on the right things. Go ahead: try it! You might be amazed and surprised how quickly your outlook changes and your stress load lightens simply by changing how you think!