Renewing Your Mind
Our thoughts are powerful; they control every area of our lives.
We all want to be the best we can be physically, mentally, emotionally, financially, and spiritually. Not only do we want this for ourselves, but we want this for our children and others in our lives.
Some of these areas might be going quite well for you. Others, well, let’s just say they’re a bit more of a challenge. Each of these areas in our life is what they are today because of choices we’ve made – both good and bad.
Renewing Your Mind – Your Thoughts Matter
What influences us to make the decisions we make? More importantly, what can be done in the areas that you feel need some improvement?
Proverbs 23: 7 (NKJV) tells us, “For as he thinks in his heart, so is he.”
Every choice. Every action, wise or foolish, begins with a thought.
But where do these thoughts come from?
Our thoughts come from what we’ve programmed our brains to think about. Two of the primary ways this happens is with what we see and what we hear. These two areas need to be guarded as if our lives depend on them. (And in some ways, it does)
There’s a cliché in the computer world, “Garbage in, garbage out.” Simply meaning the outcome of anything is only going to be as good as what was put into it.
Our brains, being created much more complex than any computer, work on the same principle. Whatever you put into it, WILL come out. This principle proves true every time. You might not see the results instantly, but eventually, what we think about WILL come out in your words or actions. More often than not, it comes out in both.
For instance, if you are inputting scary movies or depressing news reports into your brain, you shouldn’t be surprised when you find yourself living in fear or anxiety. If you entertain ads selling things you really can’t afford, you may find yourself in a situation where you end up with financial problems. If you listen to others gossip and tear people down, you shouldn’t be surprised to find yourself becoming critical of others.
It’s not the thought itself that causes a problem. It’s what we do with it. It’s important for you to know your weak points and deal with thoughts in those areas before they get control of your emotions. An initial thought that may be a stumbling block for one person, may not be any problem for someone else.
If you find yourself struggling in a particular area, see if you can’t think back to how a thought started you off on the path you now find yourself. Remember, it’s not so much the thought itself, but what you did with the thought that led to the path you’re on.
Fortunately, the reverse is true. Just as thoughts can lead to unwise actions, changing what we think about can put us back on track to where we want to be. That’s what Paul was telling us in Romans 12:2 (NKJV) “And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.”
This is a spiritual battle. Changes have to be made if you want to see different results.
Renewing Your Mind – 4 Simple Actions You Can Start Today
1. Compile a collection of inspiring Bible verses
Take some time to diligently, prayerfully search the Scriptures and compile a list of verses that you can use to encourage yourself for those situations you know you’ll be facing.
Philippians 4:8 (KJV) is a great, verse to start with, “Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.”
You will gain the greatest benefits by compiling your own list. You can group them as general or specific as you like. Write them in a notebook or journal. Put them on index cards or post-its. Whatever works for you. Just be sure to refer to them often or better yet memorize them! Create a plan to implement and apply them to your life.
2. Compile a Collection of Quotes and Act on Them
Everyone loves quotes. They can be a great, quick pick-me-up. But, they have the potential to be so much more. In Shift Your Thinking, Dean Del Sesto points out that reading a quote isn’t just about the feeling you get, “The real value of a quote that touches you is spending a few additional moments to see how it can apply to your life and to those in it.”
Start a collection of your favorite quotes. Write them down or start a Pinterest board of inspiring quotes. The next time you read a quote you like, take a minute to reflect on it and see how you can apply it to your life.
3. Control the Songs You Put in Your Head
Music is a very powerful tool. King Saul apparently knew this, when he called David to play his harp for him, to chase his bad moods away. The influence of music has been affecting generations throughout the course of history. It can be a great motivator, energizing and inspiring us. It is used for celebrating, de-stressing, and as a form of worship. It’s a valuable tool for helping children learn new information, (ABCs, days of the week…)
On the other hand, though, if you aren’t careful with the music you listen to, it can feed your anxiety, fears, or stress, to say the least. Listening to sad songs while you are depressed can make things worse by making you even sadder.
The world of music today is ‘no-holds-barred’. Some songs make it blatantly obvious cheering ungodly or even unlawful behavior. Others use a more subtle approach.
I want to challenge you to spend some time cleaning up your music collections – Spotify, YouTube, Pandora lists, and what you listen to on the radio. Be intentional about the music you listen to. There are plenty of good songs out there in a variety of genres. Whatever your taste in music is, find songs that encourage you to become the best version of yourself. Delete songs that are depressing or that encourage things contrary to the Christian life and principles you want to hold fast to.
A QUICK SIDE NOTE:
Along my journey in this area, I came across an amazing group called Apologetix. They do Christian parody songs from the 60’s 70’s, 80’s, and 90’s and up until more recent times. The songs have clever, witty lyrics filled with sound Biblical doctrine.
Their music may be something you’d like to explore as an alternative. You can find them on Spotify and YouTube. I’ve compiled a collection of my Apologetix Favorites on Spotify if you want to check them out.
4. Control What You Watch
We live in a day and age where we can stream movies and TV shows 24/7. Like music, we are all aware that the entertainment industry seems to have no limits when it comes to inappropriate content for us to watch.
Movies and TV can be an even more powerful influence because they engage both what we hear AND what we see.
Everything we watch doesn’t have to be a ‘life-changing production’. Sometimes we just want to chill out and relax. We want to sit down and enjoy a good movie with our family but it can be a real challenge to guard our minds, let alone those of our children, when it comes to these areas.
You can make wise decisions by using movie review sites. You might also want to look into filtering systems like ClearPlay or Vid Angel.
5. Control Who You Listen To
Maybe you need to start putting some space between yourself and certain people who are always negative, complaining, or gossiping. People like these can have a tremendous impact on your thoughts. Make sure you have people in your life who are encouraging and lift you up.
In some cases, you may be able to let the person know how you feel. Always pray about the situation first. Sometimes God might already be working on that person. Remember, we all have our own weaknesses. If you’re going to respond in any way be sure to do it in love.
Some situations are harder than others and you may not be able to avoid them. In those cases, when you hear something negative, instead of playing it over and over in your mind, find out what God says about it. When you get a chance, read those verses out loud to yourself.
And one more thought (pun intended – lol). Make sure you aren’t talking negatively about yourself. As Joyce Meyers stated it, “The devil’s already against you and you don’t need to agree with him!”
YOU’RE IN CONTROL
Since every choice and every action begins with a thought, you can stay in control by choosing what influences those thoughts to begin with.
Stay grounded in the Word. Make prayer a priority concerning everything. If you need wisdom and guidance, James 1:5 assures us that when we ask He will generously give it to us without finding fault.
What you feed your mind plays a major role in who you are. At any point, if you find yourself heading in a direction that is not helping you to be who you want to be, you can change the course, by changing your thoughts. And when you do you will see that life is just what you thought it was!
