Do you use the You Version app of the Bible? I do and I love it. I have it on both my phone and my Kindle Fire and find it invaluable tool for digging into God's word, reading uplifting and eye-opening devotionals and sharing it with my friends.
Today I started a new devotional plan called Soul Detox by Craig Groeschel and already, day one of the plan touched me deeply. It talks about detoxing our minds from toxic thoughts. I know, right? It's amazing how many times toxic thoughts enter our minds and how they they affect our relationships, our moods and our outlook on life.
Look at what God has to say about this...
Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things." Philippians 4:8
My child, pay attention to my words; listen closely to what I say.
Don't ever forget my words; keep them always in mind.
They are the key to life for those who find them;
they bring health to the whole body.
Be careful what you think, because your thoughts run your life Proverbs 4:20-23
It seems that in these two passages of scripture, God has given us the key to detoxing our minds, hearts and spirits. I keep hearing that we can retrain our brains. I'm not sure if that's true, but I do know that we can renew our minds.
Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will. Romans 12:2
Matthew Henry's Commentary on this verse says that as we renew our minds (by submitting to his will, taking in his word and applying it to our lives and walking in obedience to him, we develop...
New dispositions and inclinations, new sympathies and antipathies; the understanding enlightened, the conscience softened, the thoughts rectified; the will bowed to the will of God, and the affections made spiritual and heavenly: so that the man is not what he was—old things are passed away, all things are become new; he acts from new principles, by new rules, with new designs. The mind is the acting ruling part of us; so that the renewing of the mind is the renewing of the whole man, for out of it are the issues of life. - This is called the transforming of us.Part of the detox process for our thought life is to be aware of what we used to call stinkin' thinkin' and to be active in combating it. I call this my 3R plan for detoxing my mind. (I just made that up 😊)
- Recognize (toxic thoughts)
- Reject them
- Replace them
How about you? Have toxic thoughts negatively affected your life and relationships?
Do your entertain those thoughts or do you have a plan to combat them?
Feel free to use mine.
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