Has Your Thinking Changed?

All of us need to change our thinking from time to time. The things we thought about when we were young don’t necessarily affect us anymore. Even the idealistic things we believed probably changed in our thinking as we’ve matured. The problem there is for the most part in not changing your thinking is you stay stagnant on old thoughts.

Now granted there are some things you will continue to think are non-negotiable—your salvation, your faith and trust in Jesus and what He did for you. Those don’t, or shouldn’t change. So then, what is needing to change in our thinking now, today?

I think Paul says it most clearly in Romans 12:2 NLV, “Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.”

You and I can cooperate with God as He enables us to change the way we think from a person not knowing His love, grace, and salvation, to one who is drawn to His love, desiring to follow Him. In following Him we discover His thoughts, toward us and about life.

This is an area that many believers don’t work on. They’re pretty much stuck in a rut on what they believe. After all, it was good enough for Grandma Jones so it is good enough for me. Yes, it was good for Grandma Jones, but God’s vast wisdom, love, grace are far more than Grandma Jones knew at the time.

None of us knows all of it, but I trust we’re each moving forward, understanding more of God’s wonderful grace through Jesus, and learning more how to live a victorious life through Him.

Our thinking is influenced by our surroundings, what we’re taught, and how we see God. If we’re taught that God is good, we’ll have a better picture of how He can work in our life. If we’re taught we have to make a way ourselves, then we’ll try to do it all on our own and not seek God’s wisdom and direction.

Paul said it clearly. Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world. In other words, don’t think the same way the world does. The world’s thinking is selfish and excludes God. To see this, you only need to look at the popular movies, a lot of the stars, and see how they are promoting self-awareness, self-development, everything but including a relationship with God.

It all starts with our thinking. The more you allow the world’s thinking and its’ ways into your thoughts and living, the more you are pulled away from what God has for you. It’s like driving on the freeways but not hearing the emergency siren coming up close to you in the other lane. You might not even see the flashing lights warning you to move over.

The problem is with the old we used to be before we accepted Jesus. God’s provided a restored relationship with Him through the finished work of Jesus. We accept that and are born again. Yet many believers continue in this new life but with old thinking. That’s why Paul says you’ve got to change the way you think. And, you do that by renewing your mind in God’s goodness and love.

For the most part, churches are bent on changing your behavior before we even consider having your change your thinking. Behavior change will only last for so long before you’re repeating the mistakes and actions of yesterday. Only when you change your thinking, renew your mind, will you bring change to your behavior.

We’ve been given everything that pertains to godliness in this world, in our lives – . But if we don’t know what that includes, we’re stuck in our old thinking, unable to break free and see a wonderful new life of joy and freedom through Jesus.

I encourage you to renew your mind. Not just keep your mind alert, but renew it in thinking God’s thoughts through His Word because it’s packed with promises to bring you from where you are today into even better places tomorrow through Him.

Don’t stay where you are today. Move forward with determination to see God’s power and life operating in fullness in you. You won’t be disappointed or stuck in old, unproductive thinking.