Change Your Stinkin’ Thinkin’
Do you ever think about what you are thinking about? If you do, you may find you have “stinkin’ thinkin”? You know what I’m talking about, thinking that constantly focuses on the negative, including the negative aspects of people around me (family members, neighbors, coworkers, church or volunteer organization members), politics, community. Or it focuses on the ‘what if’s’, on worries, on having my way and getting what I want, and when I don’t, I fume and obsess even more about what I don’t have, or how it’s not fair, or I’ve been cheated. What is your mind and thoughts set on? The Apostle Paul reminds us in Romans 8:5-6 that for those who are in Christ our mind should be set on the Spirit and what the Spirit desires because we are children of God:
5 Those who live according to the flesh have their minds set on what the flesh desires’s but those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires. 6 The mind governed by the flesh is death, but the mind governed by the Spirit is life and peace.
Through Christ, we are no longer bound by the flesh, we have been set free not only from the consequences of sin (i.e. God’s punishment), but we’ve also been set free from the power of sin and it’s hold on us, including our thoughts. However our mind tends to hold us captive from living into this freedom because we allow ourselves to think about and reflect on the things of the “flesh” rather than the Spirit. Later, Paul writes in Rom. 12:2, “Do not conform 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.” Renewing our mind includes setting our mind on the Spirit and the things of the Spirit. We get to choose what we are thinking about and reflect on. We are not victims of our fleshly thoughts and desires. We are transformed as we change our thinking.
The first path to changing our thinking is by considering what sources we allow into our minds to begin with. What to do we watch (TV, social media, YouTube, news)? Listen to (music, radio, podcasts)? Read (novels, websites)? Because junk in, leads to junk out.
Who do we hang out with? Do they have stinkin thinkin as well? Do they influence in a positive or negative way in this regard? We are naive to ignore the influence of others (Proverbs 13:20).
We may need to change our input sources because it’s difficult to change our thinking while still inputting junk.
Ask yourself, what am I putting into my mind that is causing or influencing my “stinkin thinkin”? Then, what will I do to reduce or eliminate it?
This does not necessarily mean we cut out people who challenge us, or frustrate us because they are different from us. Or people who are critical of us from time to time. We can learn and grow from others when we humbly discern if there is any truth in their words. However, we may need to establish some boundaries for the safety of our own mind and thoughts.
Tuning in to God’s Station
Ultimately though, our minds are transformed when they are set on the Spirit and the things of the Spirit. As the Apostle Paul wrote in Phil. 4:8, “Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.” This is more than just the power of positive thinking, we need to intentionally set our minds on inputs which are good, pure, and true. Which means we must also set our minds on the One who IS true and pure, lovely and admirable. We set our minds on God and His Word. As we go to the Lord in prayer and “pray without ceasing” through our day. As we read or listen to his Word, and to music which honors and glorifies God he slowly reprograms our mind, and we are transformed from the inside out experiencing more peace and joy .
What is one area you can tune into God’s station and therefore set your mind more on the Spirit?