Morning Devotionals

by Don Emmitte

 

April 10th, 2008

 

"Thinking and Feeling"

For as he thinks within himself, so he is. (Proverbs 23:7 NASB).

First the disclaimer: This is not “psycho-babbling.” You may ask why I begin with such a disclaimer. The answer is simple. I know from past experience that many people disdain from believing that our minds play an important role in how we “feel.” However, the truth remains that the Scripture does teach us that we are what we think.  I like what Frank Outlaw has said:

Watch your thoughts; they become words.

Watch your words; they become actions.

Watch your actions; they become habits.

Watch your habits; they become character.

Watch your character; it becomes your destiny.

Spend a few minutes today reflecting on who you are and what you have. This is a great truth: you become what you think. Everything about you is the result of what you have been thinking. Day dreaming is thinking, planning is thinking, imagining is thinking, reacting to circumstances is thinking and wishing things could have been different for you is thinking. After days, months and years of thinking certain thoughts like "Oh I can’t make it. I am no good. I wish I had never been born, I must be a very bad person" you soon develop a deep belief about yourself or any situations that you continue to think negatively thoughts. When deep negative beliefs develop within you, you become what you think. You feel as bad as you think.

When something "bad" happens to you, you are in control of what you think about this "bad" thing. Your thoughts determine your future emotions, words and actions. You don't do anything unless you first think about it even for a second. Thinking always precedes feeling.

Here’s the good news! Your thoughts can be changed as you begin to see yourself as God sees you. He loves you and wants you to enjoy a relationship with Him. Meditate on the following psalm today:

In my anguish I cried to the Lord, and he answered by setting me free. The Lord is with me; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me? The Lord is with me; he is my helper. I will look in triumph on my enemies. It is better to take refuge in the Lord than to trust in man. It is better to take refuge in the Lord than to trust in princes. All the nations surrounded me, but in the name of the Lord I cut them off. They surrounded me on every side, but in the name of the Lord I cut them off. (Psalm 118:5-11 NIV).