In preparation for moving forward in your destiny, you’ve got to GET YOUR MIND RIGHT. Not just you, me too. I’m on my way to my destiny, my victory; I’m on my way. I will not allow anything to hinder my forward progress, including my own stinking thinking. In order for me to run, not walk the race that’s been set before me, I have to cultivate a thought life that is consistently in alignment with the truth.
So before we go setting resolutions, making plans, and strategizing our 2015, let’s purpose in our hearts to weed then cultivate the landscape of our minds because what you think is what will become of your life.
For as he thinks in his heart, so is he.
Psalm 23:7
In order for us to fulfill the call of God on our lives, we must have right thinking. Getting our minds right and focusing on truth brings us into alignment with His perfect will for our lives. Getting our minds right means that we cast down untruths that attempt to usurp the truth of God’s word concerning us.
Casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ.
2 Corinthians 10:5
We will put on the mind of Christ, weed out the lies and speak truth over our families, our communities, and ourselves.
How do you get your mind right?
You put on the mind of Christ and get your mind right by declaring what God says. The mind is prone to thinking toxic, unhealthy thoughts. We may spend much of our thought life rehashing what happened in the past, who did us wrong, what mistakes we made, who we may or may not have offended and on and on. Or we may spend much of our thought life projecting into the future speculating about what could possibly happen if…We can curb some of that thinking by focusing instead on embracing what we do have which is this present moment. For more on embracing the now moment, click here.
We renew the mind by taking our focus off what has happened, could happen or our own beliefs on the matter and instead focus on what God says about the matter.
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.
Romans 12:2
We renew the mind by meditating on truth.
Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things. Philippians 4:8
There have been times where my thinking has not been in alignment with the truth of God’s word. I’ve had instances when I’ve been driving that I’ve visualized myself getting into a car accident. I can play the whole story out in my head, replete with screams, broken glass, injuries and more. But putting on the mind of Christ, I am training myself to meditate on the truth. So I picture myself reeling in that toxic thought and I then commence to replace it with the truth that says, “He has given His angels charge over me to keep me in all my ways.” With time and practice I’ve been able to completely eradicate some of my old toxic thoughts.
Like a garden, the mind is fertile ground. How thoughts are fed and what they are fed directly contributes to their growth or demise.
On my daily drives up and down my street, I admire one of my neighbor’s landscaping. His grass is meticulously cut, hedges precisely trimmed and plants and other greenery strategically appointed with not a weed in sight. I watch him as he hauls out several mowers, a wheel barrel, trimmers and more to artfully and carefully sculpt and maintain his well tended landscaping. He is out there often, seems like several days a week seeing to his well-crafted handiwork.
“A man’s mind may be likened to a garden, which may be intelligently cultivated or allowed to run wild; but whether cultivated or neglected, it must, and will, bring forth. If no useful seeds are put into it, then an abundance of useless weed seeds will fall therein, and will continue to produce their kind. James Allen, As a Man Thinketh
And the same level of care and attention needs to be paid to the thoughts running free in our heads. Get your mind right. Like my neighbor, we need to tend our minds, carefully weeding out, cutting toxic negative thoughts and strategically planting the truth of God’s word so that our minds are precisely arranged with truth. When we do not sow truth, the toxic environment (the weeds) will grow and can eventually try to choke out the truth, robbing truth of essential nutrients. That can then lead to other physical, mental and behavioral issues. Neuroscientist Dr. Caroline Leaf suggests 75-98% of physical, mental and behavioral illness comes from one’s thought life.
So my friend, GET YOUR MIND RIGHT by putting on the helmet of salvation, girding ourselves with truth, lacing up our feet with the gospel of peace and running the race that’s been set before us.
As always, it is my prayer that you’ve been Inspired To Live Fully!
I love this. I love how you say you are either thinking of the future or you are thinking of the past. How true that is! We have to be in the present. It can be so hard. But, this is a worthy pursuit. Thanks for posting a great post that inspires me to think differently. Keep going strong in the Lord. You are doing great work!
Thank you Kelly. It is my prayer that we will all embrace the now moment. Jesus urges us to do so in telling us tomorrow has enough cares of its own.
My friend, you have really blessed me with your beautiful words today. This is a post that I will have to keep coming back to because it is so amazing and really struck a chord with me. I love the phrase ‘stinking thinking’, for that is very much my thoughts a lot of the time! But I love the imagery of cultivating our minds – it is such a powerful image! Lovely verses too! Thank you for linking up today! Really looking forward to reading more from you! 🙂 God bless!
Thank you Ruth. I pray that you will embrace the beauty of the now moment!
“Like a garden, the mind is fertile ground.” … So very true! Great post, Love! Your words have blessed me this morning! 🙂
Thank you sister. Fertilizing my thoughts with the truth of His word.
Amen.
Yes yes yes. I need to work on continually renewing my mind to eliminate toxic thoughts, fear and worry. Great post!
Any time your thoughts go in the toxic direction visualize yourself reeling them in like bringing in a fishing line and then replace it with a healthy thought.