Even after you have chosen to forgive, memories of wrongs suffered and the associated negative feelings will still try to rise up. But hold on to forgiveness! Remind yourself that you made a decision to forgive!
You are destined for success! But to get there, you have to transition out of your normal, common thinking into an uncommon thought life. Normal thinking is the rut your brain shifts into when you continually think on what you’re accustomed to—“This is the way it is, therefore this is the way it will always be.” No! Those are common thoughts. That’s how the world thinks!
If we spend most of our time begging God to do what He’s already done, and the rest of the time asking Him to do what He’s told us to do, what have we just done? Nothing! Ask yourself today, are you a beggar or are you a believer?
Scripture says we are to “love others as we love ourselves” (Mark 12:33, author’s paraphrase). Maybe the reason there is so much harsh treatment of others is that people hate themselves. They don’t see themselves as good enough or worthy enough, and they project the same attitude toward those around them!
If you are all that is on your mind, then your thinking is very small! When you place your hurts in the hands of Jesus, then you’re free to heal the hurts of others. What He has done for you is now your privilege to do for others.
God has revealed Himself as Jehovah-Shalom, which means the Lord is our Peace. Shalom means nothing broken, nothing missing. It means completeness (in number); safety, soundness (in body), welfare, health, prosperity, peace, quiet, tranquility, and contentment. He wants to be all these things to you! Receive His peace!
Throughout our lives as believers, a very important message we can “preach” to those around us is the example of our lifestyle. People notice when we don’t react or breakdown under pressure, standing on the faithfulness of God’s Word in every situation until we see the deliverance of the Lord!
Thoughts can be deadly. Even in the natural process of healing our thought life plays a direct role in the chemicals released into the rest of the body. Wrong thinking can be a toxic killer if allowed to make deep ruts in our thinking. This means if you allow lust, anger, hatred, envy and jealousy to dominate your thought life, the poison they contain has the power to destroy your life.
There is no reason for us to lay down and be afraid in these times in which we’re living! There is no reason for us to allow the devil to torment us with fear, because the Bible tells us in 1 Timothy 1:7 that God has NOT given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind—and THAT is the truth!
Paul had an interesting view of himself. He thought of himself as a man who had died and awakened to a second chance at life. He considered himself a dead man, yet still breathing. Dead men do not get offended at other men. Dead men do not scream back when they are screamed at. Dead men can be poked, kicked, mocked, and spit upon, and they still do not respond. The devil and his followers have no weapons when Christians do not respond in fear to their evil threats and actions.
