Are the thoughts you’re thinking leading you to success?

Here’s a deep question for you!  Are the thoughts you’re thinking leading you to success?  Right now I’m reading/listening to the book “The 4:8 Principle” by Tommy Newberry.  It is a book based on Phil. 4:8.

“Finally, brothers, 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.”

For years this verse was just words to me.  I honestly couldn’t grasp how to practically apply this verse in my life.  I was unaware that I could choose the things I thought about.  I didn’t have to think and obsess on whatever came into my mind.  This book and a few others have shown me what we think is so important.

• The secret conversations you hold in your mind are shaping your life little by little.  What does go through your mind?  How you’ve screwed up so bad, how your nothing but a loser, my life will never change,  I’m stuck. I’m so fat,  I’m sure we could go on and on.  When I read the words that each thought is shaping my life, I’m aware of the need to guard my thinking.  I think God says something about that.  Prov. 4:23 says, “Above all else, guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life.”  

• 90% of the thoughts you have today are repeats from yesterday and the day before.  This means that we will get the same results day after day. Do you like the results you’re getting?

• We have to discipline our minds.  We have to think about what we are thinking about. There was a period in my life when I had to write down every negative thought and look at it. Was it true? Nope, then what’s the truth?  I had to discipline my thoughts. If we don’t we will live a life of mediocrity, not the abundant life God has called us to.  Rom. 12:2 teaches us that change (transformation) comes from renewing our minds.  We need to retrain our thoughts and feelings if we want to  get the most out of every moment of everyday.

• What most of us do is we struggle to change or renew our circumstances (lose weight, fix marriage problems, fix money issues, etc.), when we should be asking God to help us renew our minds.  When our minds our renewed, circumstances take care of themselves.  It’s amazing how much easier it is when we ask him to help.

• We can’t think about joy and love and worry and fear at the same time.We get to choose.  Thinking, and talking, and worrying about what you don’t want will never bring you what you do want.

• The way you think can either multiply or shrink your gifts and talents.  Oh boy do I know this to be true in my life. Lots of wasted gift and talents in my life until I changed my thinking.

• Finally, as hard as you may try, you can’t think one thing and experience something else. You can’t think your husband is jerk even if it’s justified and experience intimacy with him. You can’t.  You can’t focus on how your child irritates you and enjoy and cherish them.   Each thought we have, matters. I shared this quote the other day on my Facebook page:

Every thought is a seed. If you plant crab apples, don’t cont on harvesting golden delicious.  Bill Meyers

Challenge:

• Take some time and think about what you are thinking about.  Look at your life because your thoughts are showing!
• Identify one thing you would like to improve in your life and focus on changing the way you think about it.

Want to challenge your thought life?  Read this post on Who are you in agreement with?

Life Lessons I learned while on vacation

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