Thanks for joining me here. We will be laying a foundation this week for strategies that will be with us our entire lives. I encourage you to read the blog posts and do the activities. Ask questions and interact with one another in the comment section. I know this works.
If we are going to manage the trial that we are currently facing differently than previously–and we are–we have to be willing to change our thinking. Doing this is hard work.
Romans 12:1,2 says: Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God—this is your spiritual act of worship. Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will. (Emphasis added)
Transformation in our lives, in our experience, in our thinking, happens only by renewing our mind. There are some very practical ways we can do this and much of what I am focusing on in my own life lately, and what I want to share here at the blog to encourage you, will help you to do this very thing: to renew your mind, to think differently.
God’s Word IS truth, so the very first thing we are going to do is take Him at His Word.
Do you ever have thoughts like these relative to your current trial?
- I will never make it through this.
- I can’t live if it means __________________ (insert trial of your choice).
- How can anything good come of this?
- I can’t handle this differently. I am a mess. This will be the end of me. Etc., etc., ad infinitum…
This is what my pastor so wisely calls “Twisted Omniscience.” Every single one of these statements is spoken as if it is true…but is it? NO! We speak these things to ourselves as if we are all-knowing!
When these kinds of thoughts hit us, we are going to do what the bible calls “take our thoughts captive.”
2 Corinthians 10:5 says: We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.
2 Corinthians 10:5 and Romans 12:2 together, hold the key for us in the days and weeks ahead. When we have powerful thoughts such as those above, we have to first, TAKE THEM CAPTIVE. Secondly, we must TRADE THOSE THOUGHTS FOR OTHER THOUGHTS (godly, true, biblical thoughts!). I suggest memorizing scripture or memorizing either (or both) of these statements:
I am being transformed by the renewing of my mind.
God is doing a mighty work in me, changing me, by the renewing of my mind.
ASSIGNMENT:
1.) MEMORIZE. I offer one of three levels for you, so you can pick what works for you:
- Level I – Memorize one of the statements above.
- Level II – Memorize both statements above.
- Level III – Memorize the statements and one (or both) of the verses that are the basis of these statements (either Romans 12:2 or 2 Corinthians 10:5).
2.) RESOLVE. When thoughts of defeat hit you (either subtly whispering or blatantly screaming at you), refuse to be taken hostage by them. Instead, take the thought captive and REPLACE it with the memorized thought “I am being transformed by the renewing of my mind” or the verse you have chosen or both. Please understand, this will be harder than it sounds. Often we prefer to indulge ourselves in the path of least resistance in our thinking. We allow thoughts to go unchecked and they become like runaway trains, careening out of control, taking us to dark places we never want to go. We must RESOLVE, at first realization, to STOP the thought and REPLACE it with the Level I, II, or III memorized thought instead. In fact, you might want to do the “extra credit” assignment below to help!
EXTRA CREDIT: 🙂 Make up a song that you can sing whenever the enemy’s thoughts hit you. The song should include one or all of the memorized truths (or you can choose one of your own truths from the Bible if you like). Make up the song and then SING it when the negative thought strikes. If you want super dee duper extra credit, then make a video of yourself singing it, upload it to your favorite video sharing site and send me the link in email (heidibylsma@gmail.com). I would LOVE to share it with others here.
How about it? Are you going to join us for this project? I would love to hear from you below in the comments, if so. Let me know you are here, share this blog site with a friend who may need encouragement, subscribe to the blog…whatever! It is my heart’s desire that we make it through whatever is facing us purposing to give God glory this time…instead of what we may have done in the past. THIS time WILL be DIFFERENT!
Note: I have learned so much about what is involved in changing my thinking from my friend, Barb Raveling, at her blog. Have a look there and be encouraged! Some of what I share here has been learned from Barb or, at the very least, influenced by her straight-forward, practical, and biblical approach to transformation.