Renewing Our Minds: It's All About Perspective

"Do not conform any longer 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 NIV)

 

Happy Fantastic Friday!!!

 

You're probably wondering why I named this post about renewing our minds. And you can believe it's for a good reason. I asked God what would He like for me to say to His People again this week. And surely, He gave me a topic to write about, because there are many of us who long to get a new perspective in our lives, our minds, and most of all, our hearts. Gaining a new outlook on life can assist us to choose life (positive) or death (negative).

 

Many people are accustomed to how they were raised and they actually believe it is the "way-of-life." Oh, but we know this isn't true. When we grow up, everything we "learned" isn't pure truth. Sometimes, it takes life experiences to help us see that we don't know everything like we "think" we do.

 

I want to explore in this topic, because there are people out here who are severely hurting emotionally due to tragic situations. And sometimes discouragement takes its course, because of how we are wired to believe. Negative perspectives are formed through family members, friends, co-workers, bosses, and enemies. Why? Because someone passes it to them, and they think this is how the cycle continues on.

 

But thank God, it stops here with us. And I want to be clear. It doesn't matter how old we are, what color we are, what backgrounds we come from, and what we are told to believe. When God gave us life, He gave us free will. He wants us to make decisions in everything we do and these decisions can be good or bad. And you bet there are consequences behind the choices we make.

 

How our choices are formed? Through our perspective.

 

Just because we receive bad news, it doesn't mean we have to accept bad news as a permanent result for our lives. We have the power to speak life over that dead situation. We don't have to stay in the same rut forever. And how do we change our negative events?

 

We change it by saying, "We shall live and not die."

 

"This too shall pass."

 

We must remember that trouble won't be here always. It is only temporary, even though it seems like the fiery trial continually persists on and on. But it doesn't mean we need to die with our deadly problems.

 

Encouraging discouragement leads to a negative perspective and it damages who we are. And when we refuse to recognize condemning words, which are spoken over our lives, or we refuse to acknowledge the original source (Satan) where condemnation is originated, we begin to blame ourselves. We start resorting to low self-esteem and we tend to believe this is natural for us to think this way.

 

We believe when others are overly critical about us, that there is something "wrong" with us. We feel we can never measure up because someone is always complaining about every little thing we do. It sucks to be under a microscope and we can't be ourselves without someone pointing a finger at us, or make us feel like we don't belong.

 

But here's what I want you to consider: is it natural to constantly hurt each other with condemnation?

 

Is it natural to tear each other down, just so we can feel better about ourselves, because we're suffering from insecurities and we're allowing wrongful pride to hinder us from admitting it?

 

Is it natural to favor one person over the other, just because we love the way a person speaks, looks, moves, and captures our hearts because they have a worldly aura?

 

Is it natural to believe about the worst, because bad things happen to us, and then we constantly feed into negativity that our situations won't change?

 

Is it natural to always criticize someone when he or she is giving his or her all, just because we're not happy with the results?

 

If you pondered about this and you answered "no" to these questions, then you're on the road to recovery if you were conditioned to feel or think a certain way.

 

I want to flip-it-and-reverse-it and give us something else to think about: Should we enlarge a person's ego by encouraging him or her on what they want to do, so he or she can make it, but he or she doesn’t thinks we won't make it in life?

 

Should we accept the situation as it is, because it "appears" as no-way-out?

 

Should we tolerate negative influence just because the people in our lives don't want to see us succeed, all because they failed somewhere in their lives?

 

Should we entertain disgruntled thoughts, which doesn't glorify God or edify our spirits to keep pressing forward?

 

Should we stop praying just because others don't believe in the power of prayer?

 

Should we give up because we have too many opponents knocking us down, and wanting to keep us down just because they "feel" they should be the only ones succeeding?

 

Should we stop living because others have wronged us and they're "succeeding" before our very eyes?

 

Should we prolong deadly words, which can cripple us, in our hearts, minds, and souls because no one believes in us?

 

Beloved, the answer is "NO!"

 

God has taught me this in some experiences I faced. And when I gave my life to Him, I had to forget what I thought I knew about God and I started to know Him. And when I truly believed that Jesus died for my sins, and He did it because He loved me. Boy, did my perspective change in a great way. And I want you to know, nothing happens overnight. We must take it one-day-at-a-time. Anyone who is in Christ is a new creature. Old things have passed away (worldly rotten perception) and everything becomes new.

 

The Lord wants me to share this with you because we have too many "convenient Christians." They’re too comfortable in their mess. And there is no progression in that lifestyle—at all! Granted, we all make mistakes because we're flawed human beings, and this is a part of life. And it's understandable if we're going through; we're not sober-minded. And when we're not thinking clearly, let's admit it, we tend to do some CRAZY THINGS!!!

 

And I will break it down about “convenient Christians” or religious folks, for that matter. People who fall into this category only take bits-and-pieces of the Bible and benefit it for their vain glory, because they actually delude themselves to think they're not bad as such-and-such, or they believe wholeheartedly, there is no room for growth in having a relationship with God. They’re “fine” just the way they are. There are two types of Christians. There is one who stays sedentary in his or her relationship with God, and then there is one who grows gracefully in God and allows God to do necessary stripping in his or her qualities, which doesn't reflect Him. So, God blesses him or her to become more like Him in His Character. (I will speak more on this in my next post.)

 

It's not God's will for us to take captive in negative thoughts and constantly feed into them daily, for life and death is in the power of the tongue. Whatever we claim, it shall be. When God created the Earth in six days, He called everything into existence and it came to pass. That's how much power words possess, my friends.

 

I'm not saying this is an easy process to reprogram our way-of-thinking, but starting somewhere is better than nothing at all. And please know it’s not my intention to step on some toes. However, I’m speaking to you in God’s love to help set you free from any form of bondage. We can’t stay stuck emotionally and then expect for things to start happening without change.

 

When we start thinking, "I can't do anything right." Philippians 4:13 states that we can do all things through Christ who strengthens us.

 

When we start believing the bad is outweighing the good, Romans 8:28 tells us that all things work together for the good and to them who love God and they’re called according to His Purpose.

 

When someone criticizes us about our appearance, no matter what it is, Psalms 139:14 tells us, we are fearfully and wonderfully made. God didn't make a mistake on any of us. And don't let Satan deceive you with all this hype in the 21st Century that this is the way to be, in order to get ahead in life.

 

We don't have to cheat to get ahead. We don't have to hurt others, just to feel important so no one thinks we're not weak. We don't have to tear each other down with criticism, so we can feel better about ourselves because we don't want anyone to see our struggles. We don't have to bow down and accept our current situation saying this is our end, when God is just beginning something new in us.

 

Anytime we start feeling low about situations, or ourselves, we must assess our thinking with God's Word. We don't find it anywhere in the Bible where God encourages His People to discourage one another in all aspects of their lives. If anything, when God chosen whom He wants to get the job done for His Will in their lives, the enemy was attacking them and discouraging them.

 

When Jesus changed our fate by outsmarting Satan with death through resurrection, He did it so we can have eternal life when we leave here, and live life here on Earth and make a difference in each other's lives. Nothing can get done if we're at each other’s throats by competing with each other, gossiping about each other, or discouraging each other. And the next time we come across a situation like this, We should ask ourselves and think for a moment, "Does it glorify God? Is God the author of confusion? How does it make me feel when I hurt someone or someone hurts me?"

 

And that, my friends, is how we keep the enemy under our feet. Resist the devil and he will flee from us. Once we're aware of Satan's schemes, we're no longer ignorant to his devices. And once we recognize what they are, we know how to defeat it through the power of prayer. The effectual fervent prayers of the righteous avail each and every time.

 

Prayer: Father, I come to You because I'm struggling in this area about renewing my mind. And it's hard because I face these battles daily. But, Lord, I'm humbling myself before You, and I'm asking You to encourage me with Your Word and give me Your Insight how to defeat the enemy when he sends discouraging situations and people my way to throw me off-course. Lord, bless me and renew me. Restore the broken areas in my life. Turn what the devil mean for evil and work it out for my good. Forgive me when I think wrong thoughts, which doesn't encourage me or glorify You. I release my burdens to You right now. I believe by faith You will set things back in order for me. In Jesus' Name, Amen.

 

If you believe in this prayer, and you want to start anew with your life with God, He will show you everything you need to know concerning your life, so you can succeed and He gets the glory out of everything that happens to you. Jesus loves you very much and I do, too. Until next time, be blessed.