THE THOUGHT by Mikalojus Konstantinas Ciurlionis – 1904
We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ. 2 Corinthians 10:5 NIV
Sometimes it seems that it is hard to “be real” with people.
I was thinking again today of the lunch I had with my friend, where she told me stories of the things she felt went wrong in her past. She felt that she was just “being real” with me.
I confess, it’s not just my friend who tells the negative things in her life, I do it too. In trying to “be real” with my friends I often share with them my struggles and pain instead of my joys and victories.
I need to change that. I need to focus on the positives in my past, and in my present, and in my future. I need to share stories from my life that “edify” and that “minister grace unto the hearers.” (Ephesians 4:29)
When we try to “be real”, we should still be agreeing with God. His truth is truth.
God says that we can “be real” and “be positive” at the same time.
As I mentioned last week, recounting the negative stories not only defiles your friends, it also builds up the memory of those events in your life & reinforces the pain. Every time you share the negative stories of your life you build & reinforce strongholds in your mind that negatively control your actions & make you ill. You are literally making yourself sick. Our thoughts don’t have to be dark, like this weeks featured picture, THE THOUGHT by Mikalojus Konstantinas Ciurlionis – 1904. Our thoughts can, and should be light, as we are the light of the world.
Each time you rehearse negative events it brings death. Like driving a “hearst” into your life.
I share many of the ways we can change our behaviors & improve our lives in my “Master Your Mind” book series.
One key, is that we can, and we must, stop re”hearst”ing those events. We must “take every thought captive.” We choose what we think about & we choose what we say.
Another key to getting rid of the pain is to forgive those who hurt you. Forgive them. Forgive yourself. Forgive God for not making everything turn out the way you wanted it to be.
As it says in Ephesians 4 verse 32, we are to be “ kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you.”
We must forgive and stop spewing out our negativity that brings death. That bitterness and anger grieves our friends and grieves the Holy Spirit. I don’t want hopelessness, bitterness & anger in my life. Do you?
Instead, let’s tell stories of all the great things God has done for us, is doing & will do. God stories. Testimonies of Gods power & love in our life!
I challenge you again, as I challenged myself and my friend, to retell your story focusing on the good, not the bad. Share the happy events in your life. Tell of all the blessings. Tell of the good times. Tell of the love & kindness & smiles & laughter. It is all there. You decide what you want to share. Tell of God’s faithfulness & love.
If you haven’t done so yet, write down the good story of your life. Then share it with your friends!
That is the best way to “be real!”
Diane’s Master Your Mind series of books can be found here: Master Your Mind Series
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