Pointing It Out
How can you recognize the thoughts that need to be challenged?
Verse of the Day
“Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. Point out anything in me that offends you, and lead me along the path of everlasting life.”
Today’s Devotional
Today we begin a series on our thoughts. God has been inviting me repeatedly to study what His Word says about my thoughts, because I continue to struggle with my thought life. My mind has been wrestling with some mental turmoil that does not reflect the truths we find in the Word. By myself, I cannot change my thoughts. But with God’s help, I can use the power of the Bible to allow the Spirit to have unrestricted access to my mind. God changes things within us. Studying topics in the Bible that we struggle with is a great way to practice the discipline of study.
There have been many times in my life when I have been really struggling with something, but it took another person to give me clarity over what was actually going on. On rare occasions, that kind of insight comes out of my prayers and journaling.
As I have been wrestling with my thoughts and wanting to renew my mind, I believe the enemy has been trying to convince me that this whole process is MY responsibility. Please hear me, I do bear some responsibility in this process. But I simply cannot do it alone. I can’t do it without God, and God won’t do it without me.
That’s what today’s verse tells me loud and clear. I need God’s help to be able to recognize any thoughts that do not point me to Him. Let me give you an example. One of my biggest daily thought struggles was whether or not I would be able to accomplish what needed to be done in the time I have available. So I began praying about this. And here’s what I discovered: I was making “time” an idol. I am bowing to the clock instead of worshiping the Author and Creator of time itself. I could not have seen that on my own. God has shown me a pattern of thoughts that offends Him.
Once that pattern is made known to me, that’s when my responsibility kicks in. Am I combating those thoughts with Scripture? For me, my go-to verse today is “For I can do everything through Christ, who gives me strength.” (Philippians 4:13) I actively remind myself that God will help me to accomplish what HE wants done each day, not necessarily what I want done. I remind myself that He has never let me down, and He won’t start today. I ask Him to help me to be a good steward of my time, which is our most valuable commodity. I have also added Philippians 3:1 which says, “Whatever happens, rejoice in the Lord.” This is an easy verse to memorize and a great reminder to look for things to be grateful for.
The challenge for each of us today is to invite God into this battle with our thinking. We cannot change what we won’t acknowledge, and we need God’s help to see and acknowledge the thoughts that are holding us captive. Are you willing to invite God into this battle with you?
Journal Prompts
Answer only the questions that seem relevant to you today.
Write out and speak aloud today’s verse.
How can you invite God into your thought life?
Do you recognize that God knows you better than you do? How do you know this to be true?
What area of your life desperately needs a God-intervention? What thoughts or patterns of thought might be behind this?
How can you show God that you are willing for Him to point out anything in your thinking that is keeping you from abundance in Him?