Many people today don’t realize that the reason they’re not happy, the reason they’re not enjoying life is simply because they’ve trained their minds in the wrong direction. They’ve programmed their minds to worry. They’ve programmed their minds to complain. They’ve programmed their minds to see the negative. But just as we can train our mind to focus on the negative, we can also reprogram our minds to focus on the positive. It all depends on what you meditate on.
When we meditate on the Word of God, we reprogram our minds. When we meditate on God’s goodness, we are developing a right mindset. When we choose to be grateful and focus on what’s right rather than what’s wrong, we are choosing a positive attitude. This doesn’t happen automatically; you have to discipline yourself to focus on the right things. You have to make a conscious effort to spend time in the Word of God every single day until a habit is formed.
I believe that as you honor God with your time, He’ll multiply it back to you. As you stay faithful and focused on Him, He will direct your steps, and you will embrace the blessing and victory He has in store for you!
Can you see the “brand new thing” God is doing in your life? Sometimes it’s easy to see the hand of God moving, and sometimes the storms of life can cloud our vision. But no matter where you are in life today, meditate on this truth that God is working even when you can’t see Him. Like a seed buried deep in the ground, it may seem dark and lonely and there may be dirt all around, but that is place where life springs forth. Trust that God is doing a new thing! You can trust Him because He is faithful! His plan for you today is blessing. His plan is to give you a future and a hope. His plan is to do a new thing in your life. Let go of the thoughts of the past and open your heart to what God is doing today. Ask Him to show you what He’s doing. Ask Him to reveal it to your heart. Seek Him and you will find Him and see the brand new think He’s doing in you!
Our minds work a lot like a computer. The way we program it will determine how it’s going to function. You can have the most expensive, powerful computer you can find, but if you load the wrong software, it’s not going to perform at its best. In the same way, many people are not living a victorious life, not because there is something wrong with them, but because of what has been programmed in their thinking. They start believing the lies, “I’m not talented. I don’t have a good personality. I’ve made too many mistakes. I’ve reached my limits.” Just like a virus can slow down a perfectly good computer, our wrong thinking can keep us from our destiny. If you’re going to live in victory, you’ve got to know how to hit the delete button.
When that thought comes that says, “You’re just average. You’re ordinary.” Hit delete and say, “I’m a masterpiece. I’m one of a kind.” When you hear, “You’ve seen your best days. It’s all downhill from here.” Hit delete and say, “My future will be brighter than my past.” If you will start hitting the delete button on those negative thoughts, your life will go to a new level, and you’ll experience the blessing He has in store for you!
“Worry weighs a person down; an encouraging word cheers a person up” (Proverbs 12:25, NLT)
When you see someone who is struggling, a co-worker who is discouraged, a friend who is not up to par, how do you respond? Our words can be what keeps a person going; our compliments can put a spring back into their step. Now more than ever, we need to automatically let the encouragement flow. We need to tell others how much we love them, how we value them, and tell them that they are talented and creative. Always remember, with your words you carry life-giving water. You carry hope, healing, encouragement and new beginnings, and you can pour it out everywhere you go.
Today, choose to speak encouragement. Choose to speak victory and faith. Instead of telling people what they’re doing wrong, instead of pointing out all their faults, find what they are doing right. Focus on the good. There are already enough critical, judgmental people in the world. Let’s be people who lift up others and restore them. Let’s be the light of Jesus in the world.
“You saw me before I was born. Every day of my life was recorded in your book. Every moment was laid out before a single day had passed” (Psalm 139:16, NLT).
Did you know that all of your days have already been written? God has already recorded every part of your life from the beginning to the end. He knows every disappointment, every loss and every challenge. The good news is that even though you’ve had some challenges, even though you’ve faced some setbacks, your story ends in victory. Your final chapter concludes with you fulfilling your God-given destiny and experiencing His eternal restoration.
Any time we face a disappointment in life or go through a loss, we have to remember there’s another chapter in front of us. We can’t stop on that page, we have to keep moving forward. Instead of focusing on what didn’t work out, wondering why we went through a marriage that didn’t last, or why we didn’t get that position we worked so hard for, focus on the future. Let go of the past and press forward because your story ends in victory, and God will restore everything that has been stolen from you!
