New Beginnings – Part 2
Change your mind, Change your life
Proverbs 23:7 For as he thinks within himself, so he is. (NASB)
Have you ever tried to change something about yourself that just wouldn’t change? I have. It is frustrating, disorienting, and painful. There was a time in my life when I so desperately wanted to give up a bad habit that kept popping up after I thought I had conquered it. I remember thinking, “I don’t know if I’ll ever get past this.”
During that season Jesus reminded me of something he said, “Humanly speaking, it is impossible. But with God everything is possible.” Matthew 19:26 (NLT)
Really? Everything?
That’s what Mary asked when she was told she was going to have a baby as a virgin. The angel Gabriel answered her this way, “Nothing will be impossible with God.” Luke 1:37 (NASB)
That was a game-changer for me. I finally had the faith-filled confidence to believe that with God’s help this debilitating habit could be defeated. I cannot say that I’m never tempted to go backwards but I can honestly say that habit has been completely replaced and is not an issue in my life anymore. What you think and believe impacts every aspect of your life. Once you begin to change your mind it changes your life. What you think drives your behavior. Until your thinking begins to change your actions won’t either.
Many years ago my wife, Susan was struggling to believe that God really loved her. She had grown up with a military dad who she can’t remember ever expressing his love to her or any of her siblings. He provided for the family but was emotionally distant and removed. His relationship with Susan’s mom was rocky and at times abusive.
What none of us know as children is that our initial view of God is directly tied to our understanding of who our earthly father is. If your dad is absent God will seem distant. If your dad is inconsistent God will seem unreliable. If your dad is a strict disciplinarian God will seem like a drill sergeant and unloving. If your dad is overly permissive or passive God will seem irrelevant. If your dad is abusive God will seem hateful.
Susan began to do the work of leaning into God’s word and allowing others to speak into her life about who God really is. It took time but when your thoughts begin to change your life begins to change. As your perspective changes so does your view of God, other people, and the world.
I can honestly say that my wife has one of the most intimate and personal relationships with Jesus of anyone I know. It hasn’t been easy and the temptation to slip back into old patterns of thinking stayed around for a long time, but today she is so fulfilled and full of life. She is literally one of the funnest people I know to be around.
It’s no wonder that one of Susan’s life verses is Phillipians 4:8-9. It goes like this:
And now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing. Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise. Keep putting into practice all you learned and received from me—everything you heard from me and saw me doing. Then the God of peace will be with you.
