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You are what you think about yourself. Unfortunately we spend too much time thinking about the wrong things or having negative thoughts about ourselves.

 “For as he thinks in his heart, so is he.”

Proverbs 23:7

God has shown us another way to think.

The thought of my suffering and homelessness is bitter beyond words. I will never forget this awful time, as I grieve over my loss.  Yet I still dare to hope when I remember this:  The unfailing love of the LORD never ends! By his mercies we have been kept from complete destruction.  Great is his faithfulness; his mercies begin afresh each day.

Lamentations 3:19-23

What you think about really matters.  If you choose to think about negative experiences then you will feel discouraged and faithless. If we choose to think about God’s power, promises and good done in our lives it changes our outlook and our life direction.

Can you identify consistent negative thoughts that occupy your thinking?

When negative thoughts enter your mind, you need a strategy that replaces those thoughts with a scripture.

Fix your thoughts on what is true and honorable and right. Think about things that are pure and lovely and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise. Keep putting into practice all you learned from me and heard from me and saw me doing, and the God of peace will be with you.

Philippians 4:8-9

What does it mean to fix your thoughts?  (Fix (transitive verb): to make firm, stable, or stationary)

This will take training and practice.

What are some thoughts that are pure and lovely and admirable?

Try this exercise, when reading your bible, make note of and list out what is pure, lovely and admirable about God.

Gods Word  penetrates all the way to our inmost being(our hearts).

The Bible will show us who we really are and helps us get the right thoughts about ourselves because it exposes the thoughts that we have that are wrong about ourselves, life, people etc.

For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. Nothing in all creation is hidden from God’s sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account.

Hebrews 4:12-13

 

Think how would it change your relationship with the Bible if you used the scriptures to train your thinking to focus on what is pure, lovely and admirable.

Challenge:

  • What are the thoughts you have about yourself? Write both negative and positive thoughts down so you can pray about them.
  • Write down scriptures that you can focus on when tempted to have negative thoughts.

Written by

Bay Area Christian Church

This was created by a member of the Bay Area Christian Church team.