letsloveothers

Changing the way you think is paramount if you want a life of excellence and legacy. Your thoughts affect you physically and emotionally. 75% to 95 of all illnesses are a result of toxic thinking. Fear alone activates 30 hormones and more than 1,400 chemical responses.

Like it or not. You control your brain! Your brain does not control you!

Something I had to remind myself of when I awoke this morning.

The weather. Prolong time gardening between rain showers. Root canal. All had taken its toll.

Knowing fatigue is fertile ground for toxic thinking. I scratched throwing myself a pity party off the top of my to do list by

• changing my morning routine.
• spending some girl time with my daughter.
• distracting myself with a visit to Hobby Lobby and an antique mall to find items for my seasonal tree.

Which helped somewhat.

Knowing I would be writing about what else— toxic thinking. I had a Holy Spirit inspired idea. Make a checklist. One I could use today and in the future.

After reviewing renewing your mind, think, thought and mind scriptures. I created the Toxic Thinking Terminator Checklist.

Is there unrepentant sin in my life?

With my whole heart have I sought You. Inquiring for and of You and yearning for You. Oh, let me not wander or step aside either in ignorance or willfully from Your commandments. Your word have I laid up in my heart. That I might not sin against You. Blessed are You, O Lord. Teach me Your statutes. (Psalm 119:10-12)

Do I need to spend more time studying and meditating on His Word?

With my lips have I declared and recounted all the ordinances of Your mouth. I have rejoiced in the way of Your testimonies as much as in all riches. I will meditate on Your precepts and have respect to Your ways— the paths of life marked out by Your law. I will delight myself in Your statutes. I will not forget Your word. (Psalm 119:13-16)

Am I trying to solve the problem instead of resting in the Lord and trusting Him?

Lean on, trust in, and be confident in the Lord with all your heart and mind and do not rely on your own insight or understanding. In all your ways know, recognize, and acknowledge Him, and He will direct and make straight and plain your paths. (Proverbs 3:5-6)

Am I trusting man’s wisdom more than the Lord’s? 

The mind of him who has understanding seeks knowledge and inquires after and craves it, but the mouth of the self-confident fool feeds on folly. (Proverbs 15:14)

Has my love for the Lord or others grown cold?

You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind— intellect. This is the great, most important, principal and first commandment. And a second is like it. You shall love your neighbor as you do yourself. (Matthew 22:37-39)

Have I allowed the cares of the world to blind me to the treasures of the Kingdom?

Take heed to yourselves and be on your guard. Lest your hearts be overburdened and depressed— weighed down with the giddiness and headache and nausea of self-indulgence, drunkenness, and worldly worries and cares pertaining to the business of this life. (Luke 21:34-36)

Am I ungrateful or selfish with the many gifts God has given me?

Because when they knew and recognized Him as God, they did not honor and glorify Him as God or give Him thanks. But instead they became futile and godless in their thinking with vain imaginings, foolish reasoning, and stupid speculations; and their senseless minds were darkened. (Romans 1:21)

Am I proud, not humble?

For by the grace— unmerited favor of God given to me. I warn everyone among you not to estimate and think of himself more highly than he ought. Not to have an exaggerated opinion of his own importance but to rate his ability with sober judgment. (Romans 12:3)

Are my thoughts of the Kingdom of Light or the kingdom of darkness?

Whatever is true. Whatever is worthy of reverence and is honorable and seemly. Whatever is just. Whatever is pure. Whatever is lovely and lovable. Whatever is kind and winsome and gracious. If there is any virtue and excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think on and weigh and take account of these things. Fix your minds on them. (Philippians 4:8)

Is my thinking that of a victor or victim?

To make it your ambition and definitely endeavor to live quietly and peacefully, to mind your own affairs, and to work with your hands as we charged you. So that you may bear yourselves becomingly and be correct and honorable and command the respect of the outside world. Being dependent on nobody— self-supporting and having need of nothing. (1 Thessalonians 4:11-12)

I am confident Jesus and His comrade in arms— the Holy Spirit can liberate me from the enemy’s prison camp by renewing my mind. This never-ending process has and continues to free me from the prisons of fear, insecurity, addiction, bondage, oppression and sin.

Removing the years of maladaptive behaviors I used to deaden the pain and to minimize further damage to my soul. Replacing them with healthy, godly behaviors and paradigms.

Yes, I am confident the Lord will never forsake me!

Yes, He comes to my aid when I send out a SOS.

Yes, He has whispered into my heart, “I’ll be back!”

Be a VOICE in the deafening sound of sameness!