Ministry Resources

The Power of Your Thoughts

Author: Angela Craig

What are you thinking about?

What are your goals? Are you worried or anxious? What thoughts are you speaking out loud? Are they negative or positive?

Did you know that your thoughts are navigating your life? Just like the GPS in your car or on your phone. If you type in the correct destination, you will arrive in style. Relaxed, on-time, and in peace with the people you are traveling with. If you put in the wrong address, chances are, you will get lost or worse yet, never arrive at your destination. This experience leaves you blaming the person you are driving with, running your blood pressure through the roof, and adding some wrinkles to your face from all the frowning you will do over the frustration you experience.

“The ability to visualize a desired outcome is built into our brain, and your brain is designed to help you succeed in matching that picture with your performance” (Gelb, 1998, p. 110).

Take a moment and visualize something positive, like a sunset. How much detail can you add to your picture? How many senses are you using to describe your experience? Now, visualize something negative.

Which one was easier? I hope the positive! But, if you are like me, the negative may have been what you found yourself able to attach to and elaborate on.

Don’t worry! We can change. I am a hopeful optimist! (See, I even said it out loud.)

For most of us, the biology of brain cells and chemistry is dictated by environment, not genetics. A book I recommend for you to read if you want to dive deeper into the medical side of thinking is called: The Biology of Belief by Dr. Bruce Lipton.

But for now, I want us to focus on the power of the Holy Spirit to help us. When we focus on a Holy and perfect God, remembering that He allows and works through our weaknesses, everything gets better.

Romans 12:2a (Message) “So here’s what I want you to do, God helping you: Take your everyday, ordinary life—your sleeping, eating, going-to-work, and walking-around life—and place it before God as an offering. Embracing what God does for you is the best thing you can do for him. Don’t become so well-adjusted to your culture that you fit into it without even thinking. Instead, fix your attention on God. You’ll be changed from the inside out.”

Romans 12:2a (NIV) “Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.

Practice with me this week having a mind of power filled, Christ-like, positive thoughts and see how it changes your life!

References

Gelb, M. (1998). How to Think Like Leonardo da Vinci. New York, NY: Dell Publishing.

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