Change your thinking…Change your life!

We are all created in God’s image.  That is exactly what the Bible tells us.  And, we are to strive to become more like Christ each day.  Easy, right?

The truth, as we all know, is that even after we accept Jesus as our Lord and Savior, we are still guilty of sin.  If we truly believe, the Holy Spirit is sent to dwell in us to help us repel the sin nature that we are all born with and struggle with until the day the Lord calls us home.

However, we do have the help of the Holy Spirit to mold us into the likeness of Christ.  But where do we start?  If it is revealed to me that I need to overcome my anger, for instance, I just can't snap my fingers and make it happen.

The answer is we need to change our “root source thinking.”  Say what?

Follow my logic here.  Our behavior (and the consequences related to that behavior), spring from our feelings.  Our feelings cause us to act certain ways.  Where do our feelings come from?  They come from our beliefs.  With me so far? 

And just how are our beliefs generated?  From our Thinking.  The way you think determines your beliefs and your feelings spring from those beliefs.  Your beliefs than determine your behavior.  The way to change your behavior is to change your thinking…… Change your thinking, change your life.

Sound hard?  Fact:  Change is hard.  But, remember, you have the power of the Holy Spirit behind you!  Everything is possible!

IS THIS BIBLICAL, this idea of changing the way you think?  An important question since so much of the “self-help” out there has no basis in scripture.  The answer is found in Romans 12:2, “And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect.” (NASB) Renewing your mind means changing your root source thinking so that it is aligned with God’s will.  His will is that you become more and more like Christ.

What might that look like?  Glad you asked.

Let’s use me as an example.  Sometimes I can have expectations for myself that are, frankly, unreasonable.  So that means I believe that this expectation is attainable, which leads me to feel if I can just work hard enough, I can get there.   And then truth sets in and despite me working hard to meet that expectation, I fail.  That leads me to be disappointed in myself (consequence).  At the same time, I know that I am loved by God and that I was created in His image, and that should bring me joy and peace.  After all, Christ was always at peace, and his expectations always reasonable.  My thinking gets me in trouble.

I decide I will make a change.  I write a statement that I decide I will force myself to see and read multiple times a day – maybe it is on my bathroom mirror.  Maybe it is taped to my dashboard.  Maybe it is the background on my computer.  The statement reads, “I choose to have realistic expectations for myself.”  I know, sounds crazy.  But, if I see and repeat this enough, I really do find myself reviewing an expectation I am about to place on myself to see if it is reasonable.  I pray and ask the Holy Spirit to speak to my heart and help me set that expectation at a level that I can have a real chance to attain. 

The test is when I find myself reassessing and modifying a plan or goal so that it is reasonable and possible.  When I can do this, I now believe I can achieve the goal or plan, I feel that it is possible, I work now in such a way as to measure my progress and then I feel celebratory when I am able to reach to goal, to meet my expectation!  Peace and Joy are the outcomes. 

Does this process take some time?  Usually.  Anything worthwhile does.  Do I get perfect at it?  No way, but I do get better.  I find peace and joy in my accomplishments much more often. 

“How can I find some of the behavior I need to change?”  The answer:  Ask your spouse or a close friend that will speak the truth to you about behavior that you might consider needs changing.  I can recommend a book, “I Hurt” by Gary Morais.  It is available at:  https://journey2love.kendallhunt.com/product-listing.   It explains the concept and provides lots of ways that people think, and suggested transformational thinking statements to address the changes you decide you should make.

Another answer, enlist a third party, such as a Christian Life Coach who may be able to ask you to take an assessment that will you help discover some healthy changes that could be made in your life, and then can help lay out a plan to address them, and hold you accountable.  Linda and I just happen to be Christian Life Coaches.  See more at www.LKRChristianLifeCoaching.com, shoot me an email at Ken@LKRChristianLifeCoaching.com, or give us a call at 972-463-1937.  We would love to speak with you more.

Let’s change the worldly notion of “being the best you can be” to being the person that God designed you to be, created in His image and loved more than you can ever imagine!