Be Mindful Of The Power You Have

Be Mindful of the Power You Have

For to me, living means living for Christ, and dying is even better. But if I live, I can do more fruitful work for Christ. So I really don’t know which is better. I’m torn between two desires: I long to go and be with Christ, which would be far better for me. But for your sakes, it is better that I continue to live. Philippians 1:21-24

William James could have been a football coach because coaches always talk about visualizing success. The great American novelist once wrote, “Be not afraid of life. Believe that life is worth living, and your belief will help create the fact.” He understood that human beings can accomplish almost anything if their minds tell them it can be done.

That truth certainly applies to sports teams—the difference between losers and winners is often determined between the ears—but it also applies to any human endeavor. I’ve even heard of prisoners of war who were able to play golf or invent something new, skills they didn’t have before their imprisonment. Isolated in captivity, their minds visualized everything it would take to accomplish new things, and then they were able to do them. Clearly, our minds are powerful parts of us. It was the same with our team. Players who weren’t able to practice all week but could watch and visualize themselves doing it, often went out and had a great game on Sunday.

The apostle Paul had two visions of his future. In one, he would live on in his painful body, probably in prison, and teach more people about the Kingdom of God. In the other, he would die and be with Christ. Spiritually, Paul was in a good place: he was able to accept either vision for his life and be content with it. Because God was in charge of his circumstances, Paul could focus his mind on the task at hand—helping people know Christ. And because he knew he would be with Christ for eternity, he could endure his present trials.

What circumstances do you need to endure? What visions has God put in your heart? What’s going on in your life that causes you to think, “I just don’t know if I can do it”? Whatever it is—whether it’s a mission to accomplish, a goal to achieve, or a problem to overcome—if God has called you to do it, you can have complete confidence that it can be done. Let that sink in. Picture how it will work out. Focus your mind on the truth of the vision. Your mind is a powerful part of you—especially when it is filled with faith.

Uncommon Key > Your mind is an instrument of vision. You can endure and accomplish anything if you envision God’s purposes for you and your ultimate destiny with Him in eternity.