Reframing My Thinking

The left knee is hurting, the sun feels increasingly warmer, and the body feels incredibly weaker. Every step is getting harder to take and the finish line seems like it’s further and further away. Now wondering why I even signed up for this. This is stupid. This stinks. I want to walk.

Sound familiar? I think we have all been in a situation similar to this while running a marathon. It’s easy to just give up, the body already has, the mind is all that’s left. Until recently in the above situation, I would have bowed out physically and mentally, doing enough to carry myself across the finish line. Allowing myself to say I was weak, incapable. After listening to a recent sermon on the power of our thinking and mind, I felt convicted and challenged to start reframing my thinking.

“Life and death is in the power of the tongue.” -Proverbs 18:21. Even though I have heard it a thousand times and I’ve said it a thousand times, I haven’t really taken that scripture seriously. The Bible is full of verse after verse declaring our victory and His goodness and promises. But somehow negative thoughts and perceptions cloud His encouragement.

Fear, doubt, and anxiety creeps in and overtakes our thinking. Why? I finally realized it’s because of our constant concern with the world’s perceptions of ourselves. A constant fixing our eyes on worldly / material things, rather than heaven. We forget what God is saying about us, and that we are fearfully and wonderful made. That we “can do all things….”

There’s no better time than now to challenge myself with positive, God like thinking, then on Easter weekend. Our Heavenly Father sent His son to die for us, so we would “….have life and life more abundantly.” Having a Christ-like mindset helps to give us life more abundantly, because we begin to dwell on things above and not on things of this Earth. We begin to understand His thoughts about us, the language He uses over us, and how He see things.

I was convicted because my negative thoughts toward myself and my life were offensive to the one who created me. Christ is dwelling in us, so basically when we use the language of the world (fear, doubt, worry, negativity) we are telling God what He is not.  He is not weak, powerless, dumb, poor, impatient, angry, judgmental, anxious, stressed, diseased, a hot mess. WOW!! It was a slap in my face.

This isn’t to say life is easy when you begin to trust His purpose and plans. Actually, it’s quite the opposite. Running marathons do not get easier physically, it’s still 26.2 miles no matter how much you’ve trained. I have yet to hear anyone say “oh that was easy” when speaking about a marathon. They are easier mentally when we begin to remember His thoughts for us. Reminding ourselves at mile 22 that “I can do all things who Christ who strengthens me” and that we will “mount up with wings like eagles….”  We remember “Hey I have done this before, so I know I can finish.”

The last 4 miles don’t seem as long and defeating. It’s hard for sure, but at the same time it teaches us endurance, perseverance, and even patience. Doesn’t that sound much like our faith? We need perseverance, patience, mercy, and endurance to push on in our faith, as we are met with so many challenges and situations.

I have learned that the situations don’t get easier, but I become stronger and gain more wisdom after them. I remember that God doesn’t look at the situation as impossible, and me as weak. He allows for the challenges so He can continue to bless us and advance us, strengthen us, give us more. Life would be boring wouldn’t it, if we didn’t have any challenging circumstances? How would we ever grow physically, mentally, and spiritually?

So the next time your met with a difficult person, situation, child, marathon, reframe your mind.  Remember what God has already said about you. Remember that He sees the future. He has the plan, so He’s not dwelling on your current situation. You’ve already crossed the finish line. You’ve already defeated cancer. You’ve already got the promotion and pay raise. You already got the financial breakthrough you needed. That’s why He doesn’t see the situations as impossible.

(another translations says “God promises to make something good out of the storms that bring devastation to your life.” -Romans 8:28)

Don’t ask the “Why?” question because it never gets answered. Instead ask “What does this                       mean?”  and “What must/should I do?” when you’re met with what seems like an impossible situation. Ask God what He wants to do for you now that He couldn’t before.

Maybe you were recently fired and all looks hopeless. Maybe He has a better job with better hours and better pay already lined up for you. Maybe you unexpectedly got pregnant and financially aren’t ready for a child. Maybe your life needed the extra ray of sunshine and a gift from heaven to remind you of His great love and provision. Maybe you just found out you have cancer and maybe He’s saying I want to heal you.

Whatever “it” is, He has the answer. I want to begin to not only see myself as He does, but to see others as He does, so I can remind others of their talents and future.

I want to reframe my mindset to think more like Him, see more like Him, and speak more like Him. Already my challenges don’t look as big and defeating. I’m saying bring it on!!

(I know this isn’t like most any of my posts, but I felt like sharing in hopes that I can help encourage others and sharing what I am struggling with.)

Until Next Time Be Whole and Be Fit