Shift Your Thinking

Photo by Blaque X on Unsplash

In the course of everyday life, it is so easy to succumb to the accepted views of our environment and traditional ways of thinking. And, by this, I mean thinking things like: I need to go to college, I need to get a degree, I need to find a good job, I need to get married, have kids, and balance all of that with a career. Then, I can be happy. Blah, blah, blah. For most of us, this is what we have been taught. Well, at least, it is what I grew up thinking.

And, maybe you are thinking, so what? What is wrong with any of that? Well, let me tell you; it teaches us to look inside to ourselves instead of looking up to God. And, while none of these thoughts are inherently bad or wrong, they teach us to be self-centered and to think that to find our true value and happiness we must manufacture it for ourselves, by ourselves. (Well, maybe with a little help along the way from other people around us.)

This, to me, is conventional wisdom. And, it is dead wrong.

As believers and followers of Christ, we need to reprogram our brains and start thinking differently. We need to shift our way of thinking. (And, to most people that we are surrounded by, this will be unconventional.) But, I believe if we change how we think, we can change our world.

We need to start thinking in terms of WHOSE we are, not who we are. We are children of God. We belong to Him. And, that makes all the difference in the world.

When we turn our gaze up and focus on God, rather than looking inward and down on ourselves, we start to realize that we can harness the power of our Almighty God. We can do whatever we set our minds to; not because of who we are, but because of God and who He is. Ephesians 3:20 tells us, “Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us…”

Take some time and really chew on this verse, digest it and get out all the sweet goodness and truth it has. His power that is at work WITHIN us. We have the power of God WITHIN US! This is the same power that made blind people see and raised the dead. We, as God’s children, have access to that amazing power. It truly blows my mind.

When we start thinking in terms of, not what we can do, but what can God do through us, we open the door to unlimited possibilities. We are here as tools for God. We are His hands and feet, His vessels. He can and will use us for great and mighty things.

One of our most important jobs is to bring God glory. And, once we tap into God’s power, we can accomplish far more than we ever dreamed. Then, when people ask us how we did these incredible things, we can proudly tell them that it didn’t have anything to do with us, it was all God. That is how we give Him the honor and the glory.

So, I am going to keep my eyes lifted up towards God as much as possible. I truly want to change my perspective. Will you join me in shifting your way of thinking? I truly believe it will do us all a world of good. And, that is certainly something the world can use more of right now!