We all have so many opportunities to live worried, afraid, wondering what’s going to happen. Seeing so much violence, suffering, and division, someone texted me last week and said, “This is such a scary time to be alive.” People are on edge, thinking, “What if the economy goes down? What if the medical report doesn’t improve? How can I accomplish my dreams?” It’s easy to let our mind be filled with negativity, doubt, and fear. That’s the enemy’s favorite area to target. He knows if he can control your thoughts, he can control your life.
But the apostle Paul says, “God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind” (2 Timothy 1:7). A sound mind is a positive mind, a hopeful mind. It’s a mind that’s at peace, a mind that knows God is in control, that He’s ordering your steps. A sound mind is not focused on problems; it’s focused on God’s promises. It’s not looking at how big the challenge is; it’s looking at how big our God is. A sound mind is not discouraged about the bad break; it’s expecting God to open a new door. It’s not bitter over who walked away; it knows that God has someone better coming. That’s the way God created us to live—positive, peaceful, trusting. But so many people live with a troubled mind, a worried mind, a doubting mind, a negative mind.
What kind of mind do you have? What are you thinking about all through the day? Your life is going to follow your thoughts. The Scripture says, “Let the same mind be in you that was in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 2:5). This is an amazing promise. You can have the same mind, the same thinking patterns as Jesus did. He faced all kinds of problems, but He didn’t have a worried mind. He had people betray Him, but He didn’t have a bitter mind. He was misunderstood and ridiculed, but He didn’t have an offended mind. He didn’t have a doubting mind as He healed the sick and raised the dead. He trusted that His Father was in control. He had a sound mind. He would never have fulfilled His destiny with the wrong thoughts playing all day long.
Pay attention to what’s playing in your mind. You control the doorway to your mind. You can’t stop negative thoughts from coming, but you can decide whether or not you’re going to dwell on them. You have to take control of your thought life. Be selective in what you’re dwelling on. If the thought is negative, discouraging, bringing fear, doubt, or confusion, dismiss it. Replace that thought with a positive thought. Replace it with what God says about you.