No Stinking Thinking
A wise gentleman once said to me, “You won’t get anywhere in life if you are stinking thinking.” Years later I realized how profound his statement was. Stinking thinking are thoughts that hinder us from achieving our dreams and halts the progress of our maturation as Christians. Once you open the door to the toxicity of stinking thinking that negative energy manifests in your life, throwing you off the course God intended for you. Stinking thinking doesn’t just affect you it affects your children. Remember they are imitators and if they witness you being negative or verbalizing your negative thoughts. Don’t be surprised when they pick up the habit. Kids need to see their mother positive.
Thoughts have the power to dictate our life, attitude, and emotions. If you refuse to believe you can do something, I guarantee you are right. Negative thinking paralyzes us with fear and stunts our growth as followers of Christ. We can become so fearful of failure that we ignore God’s call.
As soldiers of Christ our thoughts should be pure, godly, peaceful, and good. Negative thinking is not of God. When we decided to walk with the Lord we made a commitment to walk in light and leave darkness behind. Ask yourself if your thoughts reflect that decision. Paul gives us great advice in, Philippians 4:8, “Finally, brothers, 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. Paul’s guidance unmistakably indicates that stinking thinking has no place in a Christian’s life.
What do you want your heart to look like? Do you want it to be pure and strong or dark and weak? Our thoughts leave an indelible mark on our hearts. Christians require an unobstructed heart to walk the walk of Christ. We have to keep our thoughts on heavenly treasures not on the worldly woes of the day. Negative thinking is in direct contrast to the life of a Christian. We should spread the good news of God with a gentle spirit and godly attitude. It is impossible to have a godly attitude if our stream of thinking is, “we aren’t good enough, smart enough, or just not worthy.” Our internal negative banter does a disservice not only to ourselves, but others whom God wants us to reach out too.
Envision your life as the radiant sun in the sky shining brilliantly. Your negative thoughts are rain clouds. Each cloud that rolls in covers a little bit of the sun, blocking the light it radiates. If the clouds keep rolling in, soon the sun is completely blocked resulting in a thunderstorm. If you focus solely on negativity you create your own thunderstorm, obstructing the necessary light for the proper growth and nourishment of your spiritual life.
Toxic thoughts are similar to the clutter in your home. It makes you feel unorganized, out of sorts, and is a real mood buster. Think of how much better you feel when the clutter is eliminated. Your home is orderly, clean, and you can relax. When your mind is free from clutter you can concentrate clearly on your goals.
Here are three steps to vacuum the clutter from your mind and remove ‘stinking’ thinking
Clear the Clutter
- Take a Time Out – Stop whatever you’re doing and sit in stillness. Make sure your surroundings are calm and void of distractions. Close your eyes, breathe, and create a blank slate in your mind. Most importantly, take time to listen to God.
- Pray for Renewal and Transformation – Ask God to renew your mind and transform your thoughts so they are Christ-centered. When your thinking is aligned with Christ your thoughts can’t be negative.
- Practice Affirmations – Shift your thoughts by reciting affirmations. Search for uplifting scriptures and memorize passages that renew the spirit and mind. Put them on sticky notes and post them anywhere you will see them to remind you to repeat and meditate on them throughout the day.
Empower yourself by eliminating the destructive internal chatter that stops you from being focused on God’s will for your life. Remember that you are created in his divine image and be gentle with yourself, God doesn’t like when you pick on his children. Your positive attitude will become a testament to your friends, family, and your life as a Christian.
Copyright © Chere Williams, Moms of Faith, All Rights Reserved