“When you’re in a tree stand and a coyote goes by it instantly becomes a predator hunt. We try to immediately eradicate the problem! In this week’s blog we discuss how our thoughts can be toxic to our minds and when thoughts arise that aren’t based on the truth we need to immediately eradicate the problem. Philippians says we have the power to choose what we think about and we need to think about  “whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable, if anything is excellent or praiseworthy to God; think on these things.”

Win the Battle of Your Mind

The mind is a very powerful thing. We are what we think about. We are shaped by our thoughts. The wonderful thing is that we can choose our thoughts. Unfortunately, so many of us do not. Rather than dictating our thoughts, we allow our thoughts to dictate us.

Do you find yourself obsessing over deer, never able to get it out of your head? Do you find yourself focusing on other people’s faults? Do you find yourself dwelling on finances? Do you constantly worry about something?

None of these thoughts are from God. We need to choose to dwell on “whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable, whatever is praiseworthy to God”.  This scripture was written by Paul, a guy that was writing these words from a Roman prison. If I was in a Roman prison I don’t think I’d be thinking positive thoughts, let alone writing to others to choose positive thinking.

Paul writes further to “take every thought captive”. Because if we do not our thoughts will take us captive.

Have you ever met someone that always thought so negatively about their deer hunting situation? That everything was just terrible and they were never going to see a big deer. Often times, those people don’t ever see big deer. Why? Because their thoughts have taken them captive. They have become victim to their negative minds. And their negative thinking adds to poor decisions that never better their situation.

How would your life look differently if we chose to see the positive in every situation?

Phillipians 4:4 says “Rejoice always, again I say rejoice”. (also written from a prison cell)

If we truly live our lives in a way that we are constantly choosing to be thankful for each and every circumstance I am confident our interactions would be different. If you are thinking “Oh God, thank you for this beautiful day, thank you for the job I have, thank you for the illness I have as it reminds me that you can heal all, thank you for the tight finances we have because it makes us depend on You, thank you for my coworkers as they give me opportunities to practice patience”.

With this kind of thinking as conflict comes up you will approach it differently. As negative thoughts arise you have trained your mind to immediately eradicate them and think on good things. Romans 12 says “Do not conform to this world, but rather transform your mind”.

The beautiful thing is, that the more we try to think positively the easier it becomes. I’m not going to let my mind dwell on 100% deer. I’m not going to let my mind dwell on my job all the time. You have to choose to think on things with a Christ centered perspective.

The phrase “train of thought” arises in the English language because our thoughts are like a train. One thought leads to another and another, like the cars on a train, and before you know it you’re a long way down the tracks. Choose to get on the right train, the train of positive thinking that God wants you to be on.