Getting Unstuck From My Thinking

by Lysa TerKeurst
DESCRIPTION
When we gain new perspectives, we can see new ways of thinking. And if we change the way we think, we'll change the ways we act and react.
"Do not conform 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 (NIV)

Have you ever had the thought, "What's the use? I'm just a stuffer." Or, "What's the use? I'm a just a yeller."

That may be partially true, but I believe there is more to it than just claiming because we act a certain way, that's the way it will always be.

Brain research shows that every conscious thought we have is recorded on our internal hard drive known as the cerebral cortex. Each thought scratches the surface much like an Etch-A-Sketch.

When we have the same thought again, the line of the original thought is deepened, causing what's called a memory trace. With each repetition the trace goes deeper and deeper, forming and embedding a pattern of thought. When an emotion is tied to this thought pattern, the memory trace grows exponentially stronger.

We forget most of our random thoughts that are not tied to an emotion. However, we retain the ones we think often that have an emotion tied to them. For example, if we've had the thought over and over that we are "unglued," and that thought is tied to a strong emotion, we deepen the memory trace when we repeatedly access that thought. The same is true if we decide to stuff a thought—we'll perpetuate that stuffing. Or if we yell, we'll keep yelling.

We won't develop new responses until we develop new thoughts. That's why renewing our minds with new thoughts is crucial. New thoughts come from new perspectives. The Bible encourages this process, which only makes sense because God created the human mind and understands better than anyone how it functions.

A foundational teaching of Scripture is that it is possible to be completely changed through transformed thought patterns. That's exactly the point of today's key verse, Romans 12:2.

Scripture also teaches that we can accept or refuse thoughts. Instead of being held hostage by old thought patterns, we can actually capture our thoughts and allow the power of Christ's truth to change them:

"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 NIV)

I don't know about you, but understanding how my brain is designed makes these verses come alive in a whole new way. Taking thoughts captive and being transformed by thinking in new ways isn't some New Age form of mind control. It's biblical, and it's fitting with how God wired our brains.

I can't control the things that happen to me each day, but I can control how I think about them. I can say to myself, "I have a choice to have destructive thoughts or constructive thoughts right now. I can wallow in what's wrong and make things worse, or I can ask God for a better perspective to help me see good even when I don't feel good."

Indeed, when we gain new perspectives, we can see new ways of thinking. And if we change the way we think, we'll change the ways we act and react.

Dear Lord, teach me to trust You and to believe that even though my situation is overwhelming, You always have the best for me in mind. Give me Your perspective today. In Jesus' Name, Amen.

Reflect and Respond:
What is one area of your life where destructive thoughts seem to take control? Ask God to show you how to see the good in this area even though you don't necessarily feel good about the situation.

Start right now, and continue each morning for the next 5 days to pray the verses below over the area of your life you described above. Sometimes changing our perspective requires an initial act of obedience.

Power Verses:
2 Corinthians 4:8, "We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair." (NIV)

Isaiah 41:13, "For I am the LORD, your God, who takes hold of your right hand and says to you, Do not fear; I will help you." (NIV 1984)

John 14:27, "Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid." (NIV)

The Joy of Working Together

by Anne Graham Lotz
DESCRIPTION
One of His pleasures, as well as ours, is the joy of working together as we complete the task.
Whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus (Colossians 3:17, NKJV).

What task has God assigned you? Has He assigned you to establish a home, strengthen a marriage, lead a family, serve a church, teach in a classroom, or comfort in a sick room?

Check your attitude toward the assignment. Do you grumble and complain about it? Do you neglect and ignore it? Do you resent and reject it? Or do you enjoy fulfilling it as your service unto the Lord?

God wants you and me to enjoy our service to Him, whatever it may be. And He also wants us to discuss each detail with Him as we do the work. One of His pleasures, as well as ours, is the joy of working together as we complete the task. Often, the more difficult the task, the greater the joy because it enables us to see the power of God and just what He can do in and through and for us.

God’s Story

Pulling Weeds From the Garden of Our Lives

by Dennis Rainey
DESCRIPTION
Do you want God to visit your garden? Watch out for three weeds that can hinder your harvest.
Maybe you've experienced the hope of planting a new garden or lawn. You had a snapshot in your mind of what it would look like—high expectations of vegetable-laden plants or of your neighbor looking enviously at your Better Homes and Gardens lawn. And possibly you've felt your back ache from weeding that plot of turf. Sweating profusely, you wondered if it was worth it.

You found that good gardens and thick, carpet-like lawns don't grow naturally. Weeds do. I wish it weren't so at times, but I've got to pull some weeds and plant some good seeds in order to see fruit harvested later.

Pulling weeds and planting seeds. It's the story of life. We are individual lots on which either weeds of selfishness or the fruit of the Holy Spirit grow and flourish. Jesus warned that the soil of our hearts is the most valuable acreage on planet earth. It is from this chunk of living terra firma that we uproot weeds, plant good seeds, grow, and harvest fruit for all to see.

In Mark 4, Jesus taught the parable of the soils to His disciples. Christ said spiritual fruitfulness or barrenness depended upon the type of soil that received the seed of God's Word.

Jesus warned of the choking influence of thorns—three kinds of pesky, prickly weeds that squeeze the life out of fruit-producing seedlings.

The first weed Jesus warned of is the worries of the world, the anxieties of this age. Worry or anxiety means "to be drawn in different directions" or "to be distracted."

What distracts you? What pulls you in a direction you know is unfruitful? For me it can be busyness. A full schedule of good things that crowds out the best—like time in the morning spent in prayer and the Scripture. I can be distracted by urgent things which could be put off for just a few minutes.

Some people are distracted and worried about what others think about them, preoccupied with pleasing men and gaining their approval. Still others are pulled by their insecurities, trying to find significance in achieving and performing. I wish I could sever the taproot of this weed of distraction and be rid of it forever!

The second weed Jesus spoke of is the deceitfulness of riches. Maybe you're thinking, Hey, I'd rather take my chances with handling riches and whatever deceit comes with it than be poor! Wealth isn't so bad.

I have walked through the streets of Beijing, China, where the average monthly salary is $30—even for surgeons. I have visited Macau, a Portuguese gambling community filled with its destitute thousands. And back in the States, I have seen places, like Harlem, where poverty and desperation are no strangers. In all of those oppressive situations there was a pervading despair—a hopelessness without Jesus Christ. People were merely existing.

When I arrived home, I couldn't help but notice how clean our suburban neighborhoods appeared, how prosperous it all seemed. And it hit me: People here are just as lost as those in China and Harlem and they just don't know it. It's just that the veneer of our prosperity disguises the hopelessness beneath it.

The hopelessness in Harlem isn't veiled by prosperity—you can feel it. I couldn't feel the hopelessness in my nice, clean suburb of Little Rock, but I should have.

Wealth is a deceptive weed that takes over our lives and chokes out our responsiveness to God. When we are in its grip, we spend our lives playing it safe and risking very little for Jesus Christ. The following question will help you measure the deceit of wealth in your life: Would you be willing to give up the safety of your job and salary and invest your life in full-time vocational ministry? If you wouldn't, then you may need to pull some weeds of deception. I've found that I don't have to be in the Forbes 400 to be rich or deceived. Americans are wealthy by world standards.

Beware of prosperous times—they can be deadly, numbing the heart's response to God's direction for our lives.

The third weed that we find hindering fruitfulness in our lives is the desire for other things. Here we find the weed of a passionate desire or a craving. Some of these weeds are easily spotted, like sexual lust, an addiction to pornography, or perversions. But other cravings aren't so easily identifiable: food, clothing, jewelry, car, job, salary, a hobby or sport, or even the location or kind of house we live in. Any desire that drives us, controls our thinking, or preoccupies our minds can be a weed that hinders growth in our lives.

One good way to spot this weed is to check your conversations: What are you most excited about? What do you talk with others about? What preoccupies your thoughts daily? Is it something honorable?

Preparing for a maximum yield

I guess what scares me about all these weeds is their potential for multiplication.

When I was a kid I used to take great delight in breaking off the stem of a dandelion that held a cluster of seeds. A stiff breeze or a puff or breath would instantly launch a jillion of those tiny, angel-hair parachutes. Now as I fight the spread of these wind-born warriors, I can't help but wonder how many dandelions there are in just one of those dandelion seed-balls. Letting just one weed grow freely in your life could result in a crop failure.

A friend of mine who grows popcorn once told me that weeds left unattended can cut the harvest by as much as 40 to 60 percent. As I consider the consequences in my life of the "harvest hinderers," I know that I need to get serious about pulling, poisoning, and plowing under those destructive weeds.

I wish I had some high-powered nuclear herbicide to help you instantly eradicate weeds from your life. The reality is that all soil has weed seeds. Lives do too. What you and I need is a personal visit from the Master Gardener and His hoe.

Do you want Him to visit your garden? Why not ask Him to come right now? Ask Him to do some fresh cultivation in the soil of your heart.

Master Your Moods

by Pastor Rick Warren
DESCRIPTION
When you have emotion that isn’t getting you where you want to go, you’ve got two options: change it or channel it.
“Your attitude should be the kind that was shown us by Jesus Christ.” (Philippians 2:5 TLB)

If you want to succeed in life, you must learn how to master your moods. When you have emotion that isn’t getting you where you want to go, you’ve got two options: You either change it, or you channel it.

Sometimes you need to change what you’re feeling.

Some emotions are so destructive, so damaging, so hurtful, so non-effective, the only thing you can do is change it. You’ve got to change what you’re feeling.

Philippians 2:5 says, “Your attitude should be the kind that was shown us by Jesus Christ” (TLB).

Your attitude includes your emotions, so what you’re feeling should be the same as that of Jesus. You need to ask yourself, “How would Jesus feel in this situation? Would Jesus get irritated with this waitress? No. Would Jesus yell at that person? No. Would Jesus be up all night, wringing his hands and worrying that it isn’t going to work out? No. Would Jesus be fearful? No.”

Then, you instantly dismiss any feeling that doesn’t make you more like Jesus. If Jesus wouldn’t respond to your wife with that emotion, then you shouldn’t, either. You drop that attitude, and you figure out what Jesus would do instead.

Sometimes you need to channel what you’re feeling.

When my son, Matthew, died, I entered into the deepest possible grief you can imagine. But my wife and I decided from the first moment that we were going to channel that grief for good and use our pain to help other people. That’s one of the reasons we host the annual conference on mental illness at Saddleback Church. I’m not about to waste a hurt I go through. I’m going to use it for good.

Your greatest ministry will not come out of your strengths and successes. Your greatest ministry could come out of your deepest pain.

What pain in your life are you using for good? If you have been in so much pain you didn’t even want to talk about it, then you need to learn to manage your emotions. You need to name the emotion, challenge it, and channel it if you’re not going to change it. Then, you use it for good.

Talk It Over

Why do you think it’s sometimes easier to feel the emotions we want to feel instead of what we know Jesus would feel in that setting?

What do you need to do to give yourself time to ask these questions in any situation?

What pain in your life can you use to help other people?

The Wonderful Someone

by Anne Graham Lotz
DESCRIPTION
Anne Graham Lotz names the seven descriptions of the Holy Spirit as recorded in Scripture.
“It is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you,”  (John 16:7, KJV).

The very promise Jesus gave us contains a name for the Holy Spirit that reveals the uniqueness of His nearness in our loneliness. This name, “Comforter,” is equally translated from the Greek text into six other names, each of which describes a slightly different aspect of the Holy Spirit’s precious, personal ministry in our lives:

Comforter: One Who relieves of mental distress

Counselor: One Who gives advice and manages causes

Helper:  One Who furnishes relief or support

Intercessor:  One Who acts between parties to reconcile differences.

Advocate: One Who pleads the cause of another.

Strengthener: One Who causes strength and endurance

Standby: One Who can be always relied upon

Can you imagine how wonderful it would be to have Someone with these attributes in your life? If you belong to Jesus, you do have that wonderful Someone. You have the Holy Spirit.

God Appointments

by Ron Edmondson
DESCRIPTION
Ron Edmondson shares some of the things he's learned about "God appointments."
It was the busiest day of my week. I was prepping for Sunday, had a packed calendar of meetings, and had over-committed my time for the week. I knew I needed to find time to exercise, so I slipped into the gym when I thought it would be least crowded. That one-hour visit turned into a two-hour experience. I exercised very little, but I was able to invest in a young man who needed some life direction. He emailed me later to tell me how important our conversation was to him and that he felt God intended for us to meet that day. I think he was right.

Over the years, I’ve learned a few things about God appointments…

God appointments seldom find their way on a calendar…

They happen while standing in line at the supermarket
They may occur while studying at a coffee shop
They show up in random encounters
God appointments have a “mind of their own”…

They don’t care about a schedule
They aren’t concerned about interruptions
They never appear to be planned
God appointments can be missed…

As busy and effective leaders, our schedules are often full
Sometimes we rush from one meeting to another
We may overlook the most important part of our day
Keep the eyes of your heart open today for God appointments

Red Light, Green Light?

by Encounter with God
DESCRIPTION
In what area of your life are you most seeking God's guidance? What next step do you sense the Holy Spirit leading you to take?
Pray:

Heavenly Father, today help me to live my life in purity, in humility, and in love.

Read:

Acts 21:1-16

Meditate

Consider: "Trust God and do the next thing" (Oswald Chambers, 1874-1917). This is good advice for all times.

Think Further:

Paul definitely needed a smartphone with GPS. Our reading today tells us that after leaving Miletus, he journeyed down the coast of modern Turkey, crossed the Mediterranean Sea and landed in the city of Tyre. His objective was to reach Jerusalem. But this travelogue is interesting not just to map geeks; it's useful for anyone curious to know God's will today.
Paul could have gone to other cities in the region, places where he could have planted more churches and accomplished better ministry outcomes, so why did he go to Jerusalem, ground zero of his opposition? Luke tells us it was a result of two things. First, Paul made a decision to go there (19:21). It's vitally important that we take time to wait on the Lord when facing an important decision, but holding out for the handwriting on the wall (Dan. 5:5,6) can sometimes immobilize us. As we see in this passage, God can use our decisions to move us toward his purposes. Paul would have agreed that God steers a moving ship.

The second and more significant factor driving Paul to Jerusalem was the clear leading of the Holy Spirit (20:22). That's what we should desire most when facing a decision today. But even when we do sense the Spirit's leading we still need prayerful discernment. On the surface it may seem that God was giving mixed signals (10,11), but a careful examination of what happened shows that both Paul and Agabus got it right. God was leading Paul to Jerusalem, and he was warning him that it would be difficult. The point is, neither Paul nor Agabus knew God's full plan, and neither will we. Our responsibility is to faithfully seek God's direction for the next step while trusting the final outcome to him (Rom. 8:28).

Apply:

In what area of your life are you most seeking God's guidance? What next step do you sense the Holy Spirit leading you to take?

Pray:

Father, as I move forward with my life, keep me from being paralyzed by the choices before me. I want to stay connected and keep in step with the Spirit.