The Art of Thinking 'Lightly'

by John Paul Jackson

In last month's eletter, I suggested you begin each day with this thought: Today, God desires me.

It is a simple statement that is always true, and every time we accept it as truth and then pursue it as truth, we are being active in renewing our minds, which Paul talks about in Romans 12:2:

Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.

Paul was saying that as we renew our minds - as our thought habits and patterns transform to become heavenly oriented - hidden things become visible. The will of God suddenly becomes clear.

Meditate on the Light
What does it mean to think "heavenly"?

Whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy-meditate on these things. - Philippians 4:8

Some versions of the Bible say, "Think on these things." In other words, we need to order our thoughts in the right direction. We need to think about whatever is true, pure, just, noble, holy, virtuous and praiseworthy.

The process of setting our minds on these things actually guards our thoughts, so that we think the right thoughts and then make the right choices based on those right thoughts. Our attitudes begin to change, as well as what we expect to happen in our lives.

Where will you put your focus today?
What happens when we fill our vision with God? What happens when His thinking becomes our thinking? "For as [a man] thinks in his heart, so is he" (Proverbs 23:7). Light and darkness cannot occupy the same space. When we are making the right choices because our renewed minds are now thinking the right thoughts, God is justified to act on our behalf. The issues and struggles that confined us in the past begin to disappear. The favor and assistance of Heaven become clear and visible in our lives.

It starts with a choice. Where will you put your focus today? Will you seek to renew your mind, or will you take the same mental path you have taken before?

Our attention is a powerful entity; we nurture whatever we are focused on. If our focus is things of the world - things that are not true, that are not pure or lovely - we will see growth in worldly thinking. If our focus is God, we will see growth in heavenly thinking, and the impact of the latter will persist for generations, because the choices we make and the thoughts we think today will affect how we live the rest of our lives.

A choice lies before you. Make the decision to actively renew your mind. Think "light" thoughts. Dwell on the truths of God and then watch as the darkness drains away.

http://www.streamsministries.com/