There are a lot of people telling you that you need to transform your mind or your thinking but few people actually give you some practical steps to do it. Let me share with you some things I have learned on how to practically renew you mind!

Did you know that it’s harder to keep asking yourself to not think a thought, but it is easier to give yourself something good to think about instead? It is actually hard to focus on not doing something, but easier to focus on taking a positive action. When we grasp this, we are no longer struggling and beating ourselves up for thinking and doing things that are not good for us.

Renewing your mind and developing godly character involves more than trying to avoid sin or bad habits. If you continually focus on what you are not supposed to do, or on the negative thoughts and behaviors, then that is all you will be thinking about all the time. Eventually you will feel guilty for not being able to change. In the New Testament, Peter instructs us to set the focus of our minds on the positive things that are coming as opposed to negative thoughts.

“Therefore, prepare your minds for action; be self-controlled; set your hope fully on the grace to be given you when Jesus Christ is revealed” 1 Peter 1:13.

Most people are not aware of the fact that our brain is not able to deal with the words like “no” or “do not.” When we are told to not think about something, we cannot help thinking about it. If I tell you right now, “Don’t think of a purple giraffe — don’t do it!” You can’t help thinking of it, because in order to understand what I just said, your brain had to process the command and think of the very thing I told you not to think of.

How about a father saying to his daughter who is wearing a new white blouse, “Whatever you do, don’t spill your chocolate milk.” You guessed it. She spilled the milk. She was not even thinking of spilling it until the idea of spilling it was introduced into her mind as a possibility. It would have made more sense for this father to say, “You are doing a great job drinking your milk.” This would encourage her to not spill it.

This could be why in the Bible you will read more about what you should do, as opposed to what you should not. Yes, there are some dont’s in there, but you will find more do’s than don’ts.

If we are focusing on the negative, we will continually have to deal with negative things. Continual focus on resisting only causes the negative thoughts to persist. Instead, redirect your thoughts to something good, like Peter said, “Think about the grace that will be given to you.” I find this to be much more productive. I get better results in my own life if I focus more on what I should do as opposed to what I should not.

It takes practice to renew your mind and begin to change your character to be more like God’s. Notice that in Galatians 5:22-23 Paul refers to the “fruit of the Spirit” which implies that it does not happen overnight, but there is a growth process involved.

This is not positive thinking but instead, it is thinking positively about yourself. So start to notice how you tend to think. What are your thoughts saying to you? Are the negative or positive? Find ways to turn around your thought life and you will indeed transform your mind.

– Doug Addison
www.dougaddison.com
inLight Connection

Doug Addison is a prominent conference speaker captivating audiences with clean stand-up comedy and high energy prophetic messages which he has shared on television, radio and the internet for over a decade. Doug brings laughter, fun and a unique prophetic style while empowering people to transform their lives, discover their destiny and understand dreams, tattoos and piercings. His powerful messages stay with his audiences long after hearing him.