This is not an article on how to teach you how to
think positive as secular psychologists or as new age thinking would, but how
to keep a right mind-set through the truth in the Word of God. So many
Christians are living pessimistic, defeated, and negative lives. God wants us
to think His thoughts and be people of God filled with faith in our speech and
in our thoughts. When we beat ourselves up, think negative thoughts about
ourselves or others, or think worst-case scenarios over every difficult
circumstance that arises in our lives, we are not living the life that God has
for us. Most likely, if we are thinking these thoughts we will become
depressed, anxious, tired, and be susceptible to a lowered immunity. You may be
saying, “Well, you just don’t know what I go through.” I don’t have to know
what you go through, I can say my life has been a fight. Nothing has simply
come easy for me, and I have faced more trials and tribulations than I could
possibly write about. That is why I am writing this article, and have even
written a book about it (see below)*. I have endured seasons of wrong thinking,
and it left me mentally and spiritually paralyzed. Sometimes, we can have a
predisposition for negativity or be dealing with depression, this can make
negativity more prevalent. You will have to fight harder to regain control of
your thoughts. Yes, I said fight. You can be on all the medications to help
with depression but if you are not working to keep right thoughts, the
medications will not be as effective.
Be careful of what you allow to enter your mind. Not
all thoughts that come into our minds should we dwell, ponder, or agree with.
Check your thoughts, and ask, “Does that agree with what God would say?” If it
does not, immediately get rid of that thought. Start thinking of something
else, a positive, faith-filled thought. If that thought keeps coming back, stop
the thought and replace with another thought. It takes time to discipline our
thought life, especially if your thinking has been that way for a while, or
perhaps you were raised in a home where you were exposed to wrong thinking. But
today is the day of change. Ask God to give you His mind and His thoughts. Keep
pursuing this until right thinking is automatic, and all traces of your former
thinking is far behind.
Focus on what is right in your life, and keep a daily
gratitude list or journal. In the beginning this may feel strange or that it is
not really helping, but renewing thinking patterns takes time; so keep going
until you have achieved a right mind-set. Write out on note cards, scriptures
and positive affirmations and say out loud daily, this is a way to purposely
think about what you are thinking about. You have to be purposeful in pursuing
this change in thinking. It may take a lot of work in the beginning, but it
will be worth it. Negative thoughts will come to us all, but we don’t have to
accept them. Train your mind to not accept negative, defeated, or discouraging
thoughts.
Be mindful of the company you keep, if you are hanging
out with negative people; the negativity could rub-off on you. Be careful of
the material you read and the things you watch on T.V. Negative reports through
the news can dampen our faith and cause us to think negative. Fill your mind
and fill your life with positive, faithful people and positive activities.
Guard your heart and mind constantly from negativity. When a difficult
situation comes up in your life, don’t start speaking what you see, but start
speaking faith over your circumstances. It is important not to react to our
circumstances, and this begins in our thoughts first.
Scriptures to write on note cards to say out loud
daily to help with right-thinking or cut out from here.
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Philippians 4:8
Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is
honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever
is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of
praise, think about these things.
Philippians 4:6
Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by
prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known
to God.
Philippians 4:13
I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.
Ephesians 4:31-32
Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and
slander be put away from you, along with all malice. Be kind to one
another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave
you.
Romans 12:22
Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by
renewal of your mind.
Ephesians 4:29
Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only
such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give
grace to those who hear.
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*For additional reading on right thinking, order your
copy of, “Wilderness Mentality, Stop Your Stinkin’ Thinkin’.” www.createspace.com/4036785
