New Mindset

Devotional

“Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 2:5

Every day we have a battle going on in our minds. We are bombarded with thoughts that either give us life, or suck the life right out of us, and thoughts that contradict God’s truth. Wrong thoughts can wear us down. When thoughts become a mindset, they begin to shape our choices. We stop responding to truth and start reacting to feelings, fears, assumptions, and past wounds. Over time, this can keep us from living the abundant life Christ promised.

A thought repeated long enough can become a lens through which we see everything. If a person constantly thinks, “I will never change,” they may stop trying. If they believe, “Nobody cares about me,” they may withdraw from the very relationships God could use to help them heal. Thoughts influence direction.
Proverbs says, “As he thinketh in his heart, so is he.” This is why the bible in Romans 12 speaks of being transformed by the renewing of the mind. Before behaviour changes deeply, thinking has to change first.

Believing God’s word over what has become your own thoughts is often a daily battle of agreement. The question most of us ask is what I do to believe God’s Word over mine? or how do change my thoughts to align with God’s desire for me?
In Luke chapter 5, Peter and the other fishermen had spent the entire night fishing and caught nothing. They were experienced fishermen, and night-time was the best time to fish. By morning, they had already stopped working and were washing their nets, which meant, in their minds, the opportunity had passed.

Then Jesus told Peter:

“Launch out into the deep, and let down your nets for a draught.”

Peter’s response highlights the contrast between his experience and the word of God; his words reveal his internal reasoning:

“Master, we have toiled all the night, and have taken nothing: nevertheless at thy word I will let down the net.”
Luke 5:4–5

Peter was basically saying, “Everything I know from experience tells me this will not work. My effort failed. My knowledge failed. The conditions seem wrong. But because you have spoken, I will obey anyway.”
That is the turning point of faith. Faith is not pretending circumstances do not exist. Peter acknowledged the reality honestly: “we have taken nothing.” But he refused to let his conclusion become greater than Christ’s word.

The result was overwhelming. The nets filled with so many fish that they began to break.

This is often how God works in our lives. Our past experiences may tell us:

“Nothing will change.”
“You already tried.”
“It is too late.”
“This situation is hopeless.”

But faith says, “Nevertheless at thy word…”

Pay attention to the thoughts you repeatedly entertain. Ask yourself honestly, “Do these thoughts agree with God’s truth, or are they rooted in fear, disappointment, offence, or hopelessness?” When negative thoughts arise, do not immediately accept them as truth. Measure them against the word of God. Not every thought deserves agreement. Develop the habit of replacing destructive thoughts with God’s promises. Instead of saying, “Nothing will change,” begin to say, “God is still able to work in this situation.” Spend time daily in the word of God, because renewed thinking does not happen accidentally. What continually enters the mind eventually shapes the heart.

Like Peter, learn to obey God even when your past experiences seem to contradict His instruction. Faith often begins with “Nevertheless at thy word.”

Be careful not to build your identity around past failures, rejection, or pain. What happened to you is not greater than what God says about you. Pray honestly about your inner struggles. Bring your fears, doubts, and thought patterns before God instead of hiding them. “Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus.”