The Power of Discipline

What we think about ultimately results in the decisions that guide our lives, yet we often don't think about what we think about!!! An excerpt from my new book...

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There is a better way to control our thoughts, and it's not "try harder" There is no doubt that our thoughts impact our lives. What we think about ultimately results in the decisions that guide our lives, yet we often don't think about what we think about! We don't realize that our thought lives can be scattered or disciplined, anxious or at peace, filled with faith and hope, or wallowing in despair.  Instead, we allow our minds to wander like corks bobbing on the sea. What if we are actually supposed to be training our minds and thinking with discipline, so we can be the people God has called us to be?? This is, of course, is what God wants for us. Paul wrote in his letter to the Corinthians to "Have the mind of Christ" (1 Cor. 2:16).  Too often, we allow very dark thoughts, like bitterness, entitlement, fear, or despair to be our norm. Then, we self-medicate through substance, work or other vices to get our minds off of them. But that doesn't help the long run.  Jesus said, "When an impure spirit comes out of a person, it goes through arid of places seeking rest and does not find it" (Matt 12:43). That demon leaves, only to come home later to find everything swept and in order. So, he brings seven others to join him!! This is also an analogy of what happens when we try to rid ourselves of dark thoughts without replacing them with new, life-giving thoughts. We just leave a clean, empty house for more bad thoughts to inhabit. There is a better way to control our thoughts, and it's not "try harder" Learning to control our thoughts is key to a healthy mind. It's important not to allow negative thoughts - jealousy, blame, accusations, or others - to swirl around in our heads. They quickly and easily turn into bitterness and sin. By "thinking about what we think about," we can move from being a person of bitterness to a person of blessings.  Buy Now Check out my website