Thinkin’ and thinkin’

Does God even care how I think?

This daily writing challenge has just begun and I’m already questioning whether there’s value and purpose in it. Case in point, my friends: I am a pessimist. I’m not really commenting on whether He’s interested in the content of my thoughts as much I’m wondering whether my “cognitive defaults” are of any consequence in His eyes. In short, does whether I’m an optimist or pessimist even matter to God?

I’m going with yes. Yes, He cares about our thoughts and perspectives. (And if God cares about them, I’m pretty sure I should too.) Our thinking shapes our actions and our feelings. Our thought patterns guide the way we engage with both God and others. Romans 12 indicates that new thinking is part of becoming a new person:

Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect. — Romans 12:2 NLT

It’s also significant to me that He doesn’t say He’ll transform us by changing the way we feel. Nope. Transformation begins in the mind. The good news for me here is that I do have some control over what I think (less than I seem to have control over my feelings). I can be deliberate in my thinking, which is why Paul’s words in Philippians imply a choice (imperative): think on these things. 

[Tweet “Transformation begins in the mind. #thinkonthesethings #write31days”]

The Greek word for “think” in Philippians 4:8 (logizomai) means to calculate, to reckon inward, count up or weigh the reasons, to deliberate, to meditate.

So, at several points in each day, I plan to stop and think  about whatever has my heart twisted up and try to replace it with a positive thought instead. Here’s today’s snapshot:

• Pessimist: I had technical blunders during Bible study. My Powerpoint presentation was advancing itself. I left the morning feeling that I’d been “off my game” as a result — an impediment to learning God’s Word, rather than a conduit for it.
• Optimist: God’s Word never returns void (Isaiah 55:11). The gospel has been preached for thousands of years, most of it without the aid of Powerpoint. I have prayed that the study would be a place of grace, where we don’t have to “pretty up” our faith and competencies, so perhaps I got to model that today, too. I’m grateful for His grace to me and His power that works through weakness.

How about you? Were you tempted to entertain negative thoughts today? Let’s encourage one another.

This post is part of a 31 day series entitled “Think on these things: Learning optimism.” For a full catalog of all the posts, visit the first page in the series by clicking here.