The new series for the Pastors Sermon in August is going to Toxic situations: Thoughts, Tv, Movies, Books, and even Religion. This weekend was on our Thoughts. The toxic ones ~ the battle in our minds. When we allow those toxic thoughts to have room in our minds and leave them to be accepted & believed, it begins a downward spiral. I will be honest at first I was thinking to myself....I know this already! I know to take my thoughts captive and have them obey Christ. I know that I need to reject those thoughts that don't belong there and then as only the Lord can do, I started hearing examples of some of those toxic thoughts....
Do I worry? Yep
Do I think less of myself than the Lord says I am?? YES!!!
Do I get jealous in situations where I shouldn't? Mmmmhm I do
Do I focus on the Negative more than on the Positive? At times ~ YES
Do I feel discontented in my circumstances? Yes Lord I do
OUCH!! The Lord revealed to me and not only did I have to repent for those toxic thoughts but also my pride in thinking I "knew" all I needed to know about this sermon.
Each day we have an opportunity to be pliable to and for the Lord to mold us into more of HIM or we can be prideful, stubborn and miss out on all HE has for us. I pray I am surrendered to HIM and know that it is only through Him that I can do all things! I will never reach that pinnacle moment of arriving at my spiritual place because the moment I think I have arrived is when my pride will bring me down. The Lord longs to continue to love, mold, change and make us more like HIM. May I decrease Lord as You increase! More of you Lord and less of me!
Each and every day we will find what we are looking for....Are you looking for Gods goodness, His will & purpose for you on this very day? Or are you focusing on what you don't have, or what this person has done to you, or my marriage is awful, my kids are out of control, my finances/job is in so much trouble, etc,etc, etc.
Our thoughts are sooo important.....If you are having toxic thoughts. Identify them! Speak to the Lord about them and search HIS Word for what you can replace them with! It is amazing how things will begin to change ~ step by step, one day at a time, one thought by one thought!
Phil 4:6-9 in the Message version is so awesome for this:
Don't fret or worry. Instead of worrying, pray. Let petitions and praises shape your worries into prayers, letting God know your concerns. Before you know it, a sense of God's wholeness, everything coming together for good, will come and settle you down. It's wonderful what happens when Christ displaces worry at the center of your life.
Summing it all up, friends, I'd say you'll do best by filling your minds and meditating on things true, noble, reputable, authentic, compelling, gracious—the best, not the worst; the beautiful, not the ugly; things to praise, not things to curse. Put into practice what you learned from me, what you heard and saw and realized. Do that, and God, who makes everything work together, will work you into his most excellent harmonies.
