Mental Diet: Getting rid of the Junk and Thinking Healthy Thoughts

Philippians 4:8

New International Version (NIV)

 ⁸ Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.

Just for today, no matter where I am going, or what I am doing, or who I am doing it with, it is my intention to focus on the positive. Lucy MacDonald

Don't be so hard on yourself. Don't ever give up trying to live out your faith because of your weakness. I give you grace when you've gone the wrong way. I am here waiting to make all your wrongs right and to heal all your hurts. I love you no matter what you've done or said. Now walk in freedom from the past and open my gift of a new start

A healthy mind produces joy like a healthy body produces energy - Tom Newberry

Good Morning! On September 6, 2011. I have started something new- a personal mission to discipline my thoughts and my thinking. It all starts with my mind. God created us with a mind where He gives us the free will to interpret what we see. It's not about how the environment can have negative influence on us, it's about how we perceive our environment. It's about what we choose to think. God gave us control over our thoughts.

"I know in life there will be setbacks, sickness, disappointments, heartaches--it's a given. What is not a given is the way you choose to get through it all."(Facebook, via V.P)

Think about it, wherever you go, negative news and information follows you. Negative doesn't give us any satisfaction or happiness. So why do we accept it and allow it become our culture? Why is it so easy for us to be comfortable with negativity?

Let's go back to why God created us. He created us for His glory. Sometimes we get so busy with our lives and we let it overwhelm us that we forget the real reason why were are here and why we are designed to be who we are on Earth. God created good and evil to get the true love and true glory from his creations. If God created everyone in  Heaven where everything was perfect, how would He know that we truly love Him? And that it's not a robotlike command? On Earth we are tempted to do evil things and we are being affected by evil things, it's human nature. It's also human nature to look for pleasure. We like to do things that make us happy as a human being on Earth but not as God's Child. That's where we need to change our thinking first.

If you thought of yourself as a child of Adolf Hitler, who will you see yourself as? You will think that evil DNA is wired inside of you and you are led to think that you're the child of evil. But, really it's not how God had us in mind. There is no evil in it. We should not allow ourselves to think that the environment makes us who we are. It's up to us on how we respond to life. Humans reproduce through God's grace and power. It's a miracle that a woman can create a human being with a soul. It's amazing. We are all are God's children and that's who we are. Once we understand and accept this ---we will think like that and own it. 

My Heavenly Father is full of grace, love and passion and He wants us to find joy in all things. We are blessed if we suffer, because we will find joy through our sufferings. Sometimes God intervenes and stops evil things but if He keeps doing that, then the creation of Earth would have lost it's purpose. So that's why evil is still present to show that we can find glory in all things. 

 As soon I realized that I am a child of God and not just the daughter of my mom and dad, my mentality changed. I realized that it was all mental. All of sudden, I felt that through Christ, all things were possible, even the little things that I take for granted.

I wanted to change my daily routine so I can become a stronger person and be the person that God desires for me to be. In the mornings, I don't allow myself become intimidated by what the day will bring me. Often, I would feel nervous about not being strong enough to handle any surprises or challenges that will come my way. Finally, I wake up with a wonderful feeling that no matter what happens today, God will be there and I will enjoy every beautiful moment He gives me.

So ever since September 6th, I would wake up up at 5:30 am and get to work early. And for those who know me, you know that is very RARE for me to show up early at work. I'm always late and always feel guilty about it. Once that has changed, I no longer felt guilty and then I realized I had even more energy than before!! I had no idea that beating myself up all day from not arriving to work on time and not doing the things I wanted to do drained me! I was left with so much energy that I have decided to go back to the gym and be in physical shape. How fun is this? Using my energy to create more energy by being physically strong and healthy for my soul to grow. 

I paid very very close attention to my thoughts. I remember saying this to myself, I don't need to work out, I'm not overweight and my blood results tells me that my fat/cholesterol is below the normal range. I have learned to be very blessed about my health and then I changed my thinking to- appreciate my body and treat it well. I do not want to take it for granted and eventually have my health deteriorate over time because I didn't *think* I needed to take care of it. Also, I find myself doing more things because I have more energy from my body. It's a wonderful feeling. Small things like this can make me feel good. Small things can build up to bigger and better things later on :)

It all starts in your mind. Think about what you can do and then your body will follow your mind. Why allow your body dwell the things that you can't do? It won't know what we can do. We have to train our mind to think the best of us just like God thinks of us.Think of all the things that are working well in your life, do good deeds for others, do more, that you will be overwhelmed with the good things that you won't even notice the negativity anymore.

2 Corinthians 9:6 Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously.

Imagine this, you give yourself 100% to your family, friends and coworkers and if you get 80%, that's a lot and you won't even notice the 20% missing. If we show respect, we will get respect in return. If we show love, we will get love in return. For those who doesn't return it, will reap what they harvest.

We surround ourselves to be in an positive and engaging environment that will help our soul to grow. We have to remember that God does not have a human body, He does not have anything that restrict His love and glory in this World. But for us, as humans, it's hard to be free with mind and spirit in our body. We need to focus on the positive message that the Holy Spirit sends us and get rid of the junk that our human thoughts produce. Positive thoughts are food for our soul. We also have to focus on the positive spirit of others. And learn to love them, they are God's children too. We have the same Father & Creator as our family, friends, neighbors, people on the street, etc. We are all brothers and sisters on Earth.

Unfortunately, not many of us have grown up to learn this way. The World have taught us to be selfish and greedy. So if we are faced with someone who are negative, we need to forgive, love and teach by acting positive towards them-and hope for the best.  Positive attitude is what draws me closer to people and negative attitude is what turns me away. You do not want their thinking to change the way you think of yourself.

Turn from evil; seek peace and pursue it Psalms 34:14.

Imagine if everyone here thought this way, the world would be a better place? I also like this blog from Jon  Bloom (Pleasure is the Measure of YourTreasure) . Let's think about how special it feels to be God's child and the treasure He has us waiting for in Heaven.

Don't be fooled by what I have, my Treasure is in Heaven.   :)

P.S. Tommy Newberry books are highly recommended.

http://www.the8daychallenge.com/

You don't think excellent thoughts and then uncontrollably speak with gloom, doom, and disapproval. And you also don't think mediocre thoughts and then impulsively lift up others with positive, encouraging words. Remind yourself that the words you speak indicate the aggregate character of your thought life at the particular moment. Your words matter.