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HomeWord - Sept. 1, 2010
How to Change Your Mind…For Good
This devotional was written by Dan Johnson Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. —Philippians 4:8
Recent studies by neuroscientists have shed great new light on the mind. The human mind thinks up to 60,000 thoughts each day. Most thinking is done on autopilot with the mind thinking the same habitual thoughts over and over again. If it seems like you're hashing out the same mental routine each day, there's a good chance you are.
The brain protects its storehouse of information - be it good or bad. Engrained habits are protected so the autopilot lifestyle can be maintained. But when we've repeated a new thought or practiced a new behavior for about 90 days, it becomes part of the brain architecture; voila, we have new hardwiring!
The good news is that we CAN change the way we think. After that, those new - and improved - redemptive thoughts become habit. A new lifestyle can become the new norm. The Bible says we can challenge false thoughts by "taking every thought captive." By thinking on what is true we overcome low self-esteem, fear and doubt. We can also have what the Bible calls "the mind of Christ." Because those lies of low self-esteem, fear and doubt don't exist in the mind of God, we can think "as if" we are healthy and whole and soon our bodies and spirits show new vitality.
This is a great day to call those stubborn false thoughts by name, write them down and then tear them down. Replace them with noble thoughts, admirable thoughts, thoughts of excellence and allow your new, bigger thought life to open the door to a grander world.
GOING DEEPER:
- What are your top 5 dominant thoughts each day?
- Are your dominant thoughts in line with what God's Word says about you?
FURTHER READING:
Isaiah 55:7-8; 2 Peter 3:1
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