 A New Day Pretty awesome to think about! That's just it, most of the time we don't think about it. We simply move through life in a "reactive" state. Whatever happens to us shapes how we act and molds our thinking. Anger, depression, lethargy have a certain level of "contagion". Those who carry these "feelings" often spread them to others. Not in an intentional way, but it happens. We can find ourselves adapting to these "feelings" and catering to them. We find ourselves "understanding" them and making allowances for them. We become familiar with them and -- without our even realizing it -- the "feelings" have become ours. We "empathize" , "sympathize" and finally "internalize" negative feelings. Our transformation begins in our minds. What we think -- what we focus upon -- whatever manages to hold our attention -- WILL shape our days. Our minds are the battlegrounds. What am I thinking today. Am I thinking "I can't" -- "They won't" -- "I'm ugly" -- "I'm stupid" -- -- -- Am I focusing on a painful experience, a hurtful word, -- on what someone else "might" think or do???? What do I think about all day? Where do I allow my thoughts to wander? What am I "feeding" my mind? If my thinking is usually on the negative side I should not be surprised to find myself feeling "down", depressed, angry.
We renew our minds by replacing negative thinking with meditating on the Word of God, by singing songs of praise to Him, by focusing on the blessings around us. It is very often easier to "go with the flow" and be pulled along in the rivers of "Not" or "Never" or "Can't". The easy way is not the way to find peace and joy. It seems a contradiction to say we must endure resistance to achieve peace or joy -- but that is what must happen. We must make a decision -- stop "reacting" and think! We must choose to go in another direction. There we are -- standing at the crossroad of decision -- and the "mind talk" goes something like this --
Well -- you get the picture. It goes on and on and on. Confusing you -- pressuring you -- trying to convince you that God's way just will not work in the "real" world. I know the "feelings", I know the "arguments" the mind comes up with. This is a daily battle -- it is a daily decision. Every day we are given another opportunity to "choose". Our free will is always -- OUR FREE WILL. We must make the choices. What will I fill my mind with today? If I can just get past that "mind talk" -- if I can win that battle -- then I know I will see a difference. I have decided to fill my mind with the things of God. I have decided to praise His Name. And -- I will decide again in 15 minutes when the argument starts again -- or in 2 hours when something happens that tries to change my mind. (And you can be sure something will happen!) I WILL choose all day to keep my mind stayed upon Jesus and all that He has done for me. While my life continues on -- while I go through my day -- my spirit will continually draw upon God for strength and comfort. It is not by my strength that I face each day -- but by His strength. He has promised never to leave me, He is continually at my side. There is nothing that can happen -- nowhere I can go -- that my God has not been there already, preparing the way. I trust Him completely. I praise Him joyfully. I worship Him humbly. Choose His ways today. Give Him the opportunity to turn your day around. Give God's way a try!!! What can it hurt?!?!?!?
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