you’re finished changing, you’re finished.” Change is a part of life.
It’s also uncomfortable and can be scary. Here are a few facts about
change:
It’s a process. And it’s often a lengthy one that requires long-term commitment.
It’s frightening. Even
though we usually want change, we also like to be in control. But we
have to be willing to let go of something to move toward something
new—without knowing exactly what the new thing will be like.
It takes action. It comes when we confront our fears.
Now,
nothing in your life changes until you change your mind. Romans 12:2
says, “Be transformed (changed) by the [entire] renewal of your mind”
(AMP). A lot of people are trying to change, but they haven’t changed
their minds about anything and are thinking the same way they’ve always
thought about things. Proverbs 23:7 says, “As he thinks in his heart, so
is he.” In other words, where the mind goes, the man follows. So we
can’t keep doing things the way we’ve always done them and hope for a
different result.
What’s
been on your mind lately? Do you think about what you’re thinking about?
Do you realize how your thoughts affect your life? Thoughts are
powerful! And the good news is, we can choose what we think about.
This
has been one of the most life-changing revelations of my life. I used
to believe I couldn’t help what I thought. If I woke up in the morning
and my thought was, I’m depressed,
then I just obeyed it and was depressed all day. But Jesus died to set
us free, and one of the greatest freedoms we have is freedom of choice.
It
was so wonderful to realize that my mind didn’t have to be a trash can
for the devil all day or a channel for him to do his dirty work through.
And the key to my victory over the enemy was learning to renew my mind.
How do we renew our mind? With the Word of God. The Bible is our instruction manual on how to live a victorious life. We have to·study·it,
not just read it, to learn how to think like God thinks and experience
the life of overcoming victory we can have in Christ—a life of
forgiveness of sins, right relationship with God, the power to live
right, peace and joy.
For
more than 30 years I’ve been studying the Word, and I’m still learning
every single day. We need to be lifetime learners of God’s Word because
it has the life, power and anointing we need to change.
There’s actually a transforming power that takes place when we study the Word. Hebrews 4:12 in The Amplified Bible says
this power is active, energizing and effective, and it exposes,
analyzes and judges the thoughts and purposes of the heart. The Word of
God is like a mirror: When we look into it, we see the way we are and
what needs to chnge. That’s why it’s so important for us to renew our
minds every day through the Word.·
Here’s
how it works: We hear the truth and are convicted by it as we recognize
what we’re doing is wrong. We repent of our sin; this means we are
sorry and want to turn away from it. We ask God to help us change
because we can’t change without Him. Then we study Scriptures about the
area we are dealing with, such as unforgiveness, anger, self-control and
so on.
God’s Word is the
medicine we need to heal our souls! I encourage you to go to the Word
like you would medicine. When you’re struggling with something, pick it
up and say, “I’m going to take my medicine.” Then begin to say what God
says, rather than what you think or feel that doesn’t line up with His
Word.
We have to learn to believe what God says more than what we think and feel because a renewed mind is stronger than feelings.
Remember,
you can choose to think about whatever you want to think about. Choose
to think about the truth in God’s Word and there won’t be room for
anything else. You’ll find that when you get your mind straightened out
you’ll get your life straightened out.
Joyce Meyer is a New York Times best-selling author and founder of Joyce Meyer Ministries. She has authored more than 90 books, including her new Living Beyond Your Feelings (Hachette). To read her past columns in Charisma, go to charismamag.com/meyer. Visit her online at joycemeyer.org.
