Thoughts become words. Words become actions. Your actions can take you in many different directions. Whether your path is life or destruction is up to you, but it all starts with your thoughts.
Have you ever woken up before you were ready? You know, still sleepy and in disbelief that the alarm is going off already? Or perhaps you just fell asleep and the baby starts crying or the phone rings. We've all been there, not ready, but its time to get up! In that moment you have a choice. You can either thank God that He saw fit to give you a new day. Or you can grumble about the fact the He woke you before you were ready. The fact remains that God gave you breath. He is not finished with you. You have a purpose.
If you choose to start your day with a grateful heart, renew your mind and ask God to order your steps (praying continually throughout the day), chances are you will have a great day. Even with a few bumps in the road, you'll be better prepared to handle whatever comes flying your way.
However, should you choose the opposite - cursing the day because you're tired or you went to sleep mad and woke up angry, you will probably have a rough start, which could more than likely have a trickle effect. See the devil doesn't want you to experience joy, so he will do everything in his power to set up road blocks starting with your first choice of the morning - give praise or curse the day.
Waking up is just one example of how your thoughts can make or break you and/or your day. Unfortunately, we have trained ourselves to see the negatives - someone else's flaws, our flaws, what we can't do, or what looks/feels bad. What we need to do is take the focus off the negative and search for the positives. A few examples…
1. Ladies - When we look in the mirror, instead of focusing on what we don't like (bad hair day, gray hair, wrinkles, or even a few extra pounds), lets meditate on the fact that God created us to be unique and He loves us just the way we are. After all, we are fearfully and wonderfully made ( Psalm 139:14)!!!
2. Running late, stuck in traffic or waiting in line. Instead of getting frustrated with the other drivers or people in front of you, thank the Lord for preparing the day for you. Maybe, in that very moment, God is saving you from a collision (with another car or a person you aren't very fond of). Use this time to have quiet prayer (or a praise party - whichever you prefer). Its a whole lot better for your nerves than screaming at other motorist - and this is coming from someone who hates being stuck in traffic!
3. Annoying co-worker or needy acquaintance? I bet you prayed for patience! Instead of rolling your eyes and saying "Oh Lord" under your breath, ask God to speak to/through you. Instead wondering what annoying thing they will say/do next, ask how you can be of service to them. Or ask God how you can use this as an opportunity for growth. Sometimes the reason you seem to attract these type of "needy" people is because God placed something on the inside of you that He can use to reach them. So embrace it!
There are a million examples of how simply changing the way we think about things can change our entire experience. This is not to say that everyday will be smooth sailing and that nothing will be challenging. After all, if we weren't challenged, we'd never grow. But changing our focus from the negative to the positive can give new insight and make difficult situations more bearable.
God has given us the ability to change lives, starting with our own. We can start by changing the way we think. Here are some verses to meditate on:
Romans 12:2 "Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect."
2 Corinthians 10:5b "And we take captive every though to make it obedient to Christ."
2 Timothy 1:7 "For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love and self-discipline."
Isaiah 26:3 "You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you."
Philippians 4:8 "Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable- if anything is excellent or praiseworthy- think about such things."
Father, in the name of Jesus, we thank You for a new day and a new opportunity to renew our minds. Right now we take our thoughts captive, exchanging every negative thought and replacing them with whatever is good. Help us to learn and believe all that You say affirming us. In our doubt, help us to be overwhelmed by Your presence and love so that all disbelief is erased. We thank You and praise You for Your love, kindness, grace and mercy. In Jesus' name, Amen.
With Love,
JC
