What’s Your Mind Telling You?

What’s Your Mind Telling You?

"“Be transformed by the renewing of your mind” Romans 12:2

One of the most helpful areas of growth I have experienced as a follower of Jesus is learning to examine my thinking.  The writer of Psalm 42 did the same thing!  He asked himself:
 

“Why are you downcast, O my soul?
“Why so disturbed within me?
Put your hope in God,
For I will yet praise him,
My Savior and my God.”
 Psalm 42:5

Do you ever ask yourself the same question?  Why am I feeling down? What’s making me feel miserable, helpless, or angry?

Long before psychologists discovered the power of our thinking to impact our lives, the Bible declared what God already knew: What you mull over in your mind impacts your emotions, decisions, and the direction of your life. Scripture points to the mind’s key role in our lives:

Proverbs 4:23 Above all else, guard your heart (often meaning the mind), for it is the wellspring of life.

Matthew 6:25: I tell you, do not worry about your life….

Ephesians 4:23 Be made new in your attitude.

Philippians 4: 7-9 Do not be anxious.  Change your thinking.

Learning to replace toxic and limiting self-talk with Biblical thinking frees you from being stuck in an endless negative loop, feeling hopeless, or scared to move into something that God is calling you to.
 
If you want to experience God’s love, power, and presence ask Him to show you what inner messages and assumptions are holding you back from trusting Him. 

To help you begin the process of transformation by the renewal of your mind, here is a summary of the acrostic: G.R.O.W.T.H. from the Inside Out. (For further teaching on this topic or personal help, contact me HERE)

GUARD YOUR MIND! Why? Because what you allow in your mind and accept without questioning influences your emotions, impacts your behavior, and often leads to poor choices that affect the direction of your life.  Battle the giant of discouragement by watching what influences your thoughts and emotions. Learn to ask yourself: Is what I’m thinking consistent with God’s Word, His promises, and how He has blessed my life? (Proverbs 4:23)

REVIEW YOUR SELF-TALK: Are you telling yourself the truth? Or scaring yourself by imagining what could happen? Don’t just believe whatever comes into your mind! We have an enemy, the Devil, who tries to discourage and destroy us. Fight him by examining, probing, and questioning what you’re allowing to influence your mood and decisions.  (John 10:10)

OBSERVE YOUR EMOTIONS: When your thoughts are from God, the result is joy, peace, comfort, courage, and wisdom.  When they are from the Devil, or your own automatic negative thinking, the result is anxiety, emotional pain, anger, revenge, and discouragement. Ask yourself: Are my thoughts dragging me down? Or are they helping me trust God and believe He is at work in my life? (Ephesians 3:20)

WEIGH YOUR CHOICES: When you’re discouraged, you face important decisions that impact your direction. You can choose to:

• Be negative or positive about your situation
• Grumble or be gracious when things go wrong
• Believe God is for you, or not believe His statements about you
• Listen to old mental tapes that drag you down, or Biblical truths that lift you up
• Give in to self-pity, or purposely praise God
  (Philippians 4:6-8; Romans 12:2)

THINK THE TRUTH: Act against discouragement by rehearsing what Scripture says: You are loved, not a disappointment!

• All your failures are forgiven forever
• Comparison poisons your soul—you are unique and loved by God
• Envying others destroys your joy—God made only one of you, rejoice in this!
  (Ephesians 1:2-10)

HEAR AND ACT:  What do you sense God is saying to you?  How does He want you to grow emotionally and spiritually through the circumstances you’re facing?  Ask God to show you one positive change you can make right now. Then follow through on it, and watch your discouragement change into hope and expectant faith. (James 1:22-25; Psalm 42:5-6b)
 
Poppy