Ponder this quote from my book:

What we think determines how we feel and what we feel influences our actions.  p. 15, Fiery Darts: Satan’s Weapon of Choice

The mind is constantly thinking.  Everything we see, feel, or touch, influences the thoughts we think.  Thus, how we behave will be determined by what we think.

If there is a troublesome behavior with which you seem to struggle, as a Christian what are you going to do about it?  Do you find yourself saying,

“I just can’t seem to help myself.”

Paul talked about this very thing in the Book of Romans.  He struggled like so-o-o many of us do.  Just read this:

For the good that I will to do, I do not do; but the evil I will not to do, that I practice. Romans 7:19

I feel his pain, don’t you? 

I want to talk to those of us, who find ourselves doing things we really don’t desire to do.  Like, caving in to negative thinking (fiery dart thinking) like the following: (list is just random thoughts that came to mind.)

feeling sorry for ourselves, (blaming others for the problems in our lives)

living an undisciplined life, lack of self-control (you know, eating too much, not having consistent quiet time, giving into temptation, stop going to church),

being unwilling to say no to ourselves, going after what we want when we want it (and always feeling guilty in the process),

believing that we are inferior to others or superior (being blind to our mistakes)

not having confidence in ourselves,

believing what the world says about us and to us, more than believing what God’s Word says on that subject.

Did you know that all of the above are examples of fiery dart thinking?

If we keep giving in to this type of thinking, our futures are in jeopardy.  We will believe things about ourselves that aren’t true. (Prov. 23:7) We will stray from the path God has planned for us and His peace, security, and success  for us becomes seriously threatened. Is that what you want?  Of course not!

Then here’s what I suggest you do!

1. Get your Bible out and open it up.  Start reading it.  Commit to reading just one verse every day.  I suggest, Jeremiah 29:11 for starters. Don’t commit to much more than that.  You don’t want to set yourself up for failure. 

2. Say a one sentence pray.  “Dear God, Guide me.”  That’s enough.  Once again, don’t set yourself up for failure.  You’ve experienced too much of that already.

Start every day, for the next week (or whatever length of time you are comfortable with) , using this verse and prayer.

If you like, let me know what happens.

By the way, when you are sitting with nothing to do, perhaps you would like to read my book.  It will be your training manual on how to overcome negative thinking (fiery dart thinking) referred to in this post. (There’s a 5-step plan on p. 79 you should find interesting.)

I will be praying for you,

Until next post–