Change Your Mind!

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.

Romans 12:2

Many of us spend much of our lives trying to prevent physical health issues. At the first symptoms, we quickly engage in self-care. We develop a plan we believe will reverse or perhaps stop the progression of the disease. So why do we treat instances of emotional distress differently?

People suffering from any type of emotional distress are often stigmatized. Because of this stigma, we think we cannot share for fear of being misunderstood and rejected. We might be struggling to accept a reality we cannot explain with words. The way we think about ourselves affects our behavior.

As believers, we must continually renew our minds so that we’re thinking according to God’s truth. The Bible often refers to the power of our minds and our thoughts. We have a choice between healthy thoughts that bring life or unhealthy thoughts that bring negativity and harm. It can be hard to reign in our thoughts. But we can make the conscious effort to pay attention to where a certain line of thought is taking us. Reframing our thoughts about our mental struggles will change our behavior regarding the treatment of our ailment. The Bible says this is possible.

God is with us and ready to help us capture our thoughts. When we recognize and change our negative thoughts about ourselves and our struggles, we are opening ourselves up to the love and support God has for us from him and from other believers.

The mind can descend far lower than the body, for in it there are bottomless pits. The flesh can bear only a certain number of wounds and no more, but the soul can bleed in ten thousand ways, and die over and over again each hour.

Charles Spurgeon

As you pray for the Holy Spirit to make you aware of thoughts that come into your mind that don’t line up with God’s Word, you’ll begin to realize when those thoughts come and you can renew your mind with the Word.

Joyce Meyer

God desires to change us from the inside out. Renewing our minds, starving our self-destructive tendencies, and teaching us to form new habits.

Beth Moore

For Further Reflection

Philippians 4:8; 2 Corinthians 10:5

Today’s Prayer

Father, thank you for making me the way I am. You know my thoughts. You know when they align with your thoughts and when they don’t. Teach me to recognize when I am not thinking of myself the way you do. Amen.