The Power Of Our Thoughts

What have your thoughts been like lately? Negative or Positive?

It is amazing to note that anything and everything that has happened in this world first began with the power of thought. Our thoughts resides in the seat of our mind, where our will and emotions also dwell.

By definition, a thought is an idea, mental picture, or opinion occurring suddenly in the mind. Our thoughts are powerful tools for we must first have a thought before anything can be created in life.

Let's take Albert Einstein for instance. First there was his hair, then his thoughts. I am certain that people living in his society must have thought him crazy or foolish for harboring the thoughts that he had. Little did they know, he would become the man famously known to revolutionize physics. Our thoughts are powerful. When harness for good, they can transform the world but when used for bad they can destroy cities and create wars.

Let us looks at some amazing things that the power of thought caused to be created:

•Tim Berners-Lee invented the world wide web on a thought
•Levi Strauss invented blue jeans on a thought
•Thomas Edison invented the light bulb on a thought
•Louis Le Prince invented motion picture on a thought
•Richard Trevithick invented and built the first locomotive on a thought

We all know that these things were not invented by just thinking them into existence, instead an idea was formed in the minds of these people, along will the thought that 'all things are possible' , which became the driving force behind these inventions. An intangible thought was the seed planted in the soils of their mind and with many days of watering, that seed, grew into a tangible tree. Now, that is the power of our thoughts. Do not take your thoughts lightly for they can be the beginning or the end to your desires and dreams.

Are your thoughts negatively or positively inclined?

Be careful where you direct your thoughts. The Bible rightly states, in Proverbs 23:7 that as a man thinks in his heart so is he, for a man is truly what he thinks. For each and every one of our thoughts are expressed by our character, through our words, emotions, actions.

The Thought Cycle

Our thoughts produce emotions:

If our thoughts are negative, then our emotions will of course follow the leading of our thoughts. These negative emotions can be very harmful to our mental state or well-being. Imagine you, having the thought that your life was in danger. This will automatically produce a feeling of fear, worry, torment and frustration. If these negative emotions linger for too long, it can be detrimental, for scientists have proven that emotional stress can cause physical harm to our bodies.

> Our Emotions produce actions:

It is true that we act upon what we feel. It might have been simpler if this was not so, but these everyday emotions produces actions- whether good or bad - and our actions tend to reflect what our thoughts are.

> Our Actions produce results:

This is a constant cycle of thought > emotion > action> result. It is our actions that will determine the course of our day, year, and ultimately our future. These results will inadvertently produce more thoughts ... and the cycle continues.

It is important that we understand that until the thoughts that we have, that produces our results, changes, we will continue to receive the negative results, that we have received throughout the course of our lives. When our thoughts change to positive thoughts, so does the results.

So What Should Our Thoughts Be Like?

Philippians 2:5 gave us the answer to this question, when it said 'let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus. We must daily begin to practice to think like Jesus. Any thought that enters our mind that is contrary to the thoughts of Christ must have no resting place there.

Sometimes, we tend to focus on only two aspects of this mind of Christ, which is humility and subjection. It is true that Jesus was humble but it is also true that Jesus was Unstoppable. In the mind of Christ there is no limitations, no boundaries, no negativity. The word 'Can't' simply does not exist. Now this is the mind of Christ that we should aspire to achieve.

Four Thought Changing Tips

1. Make a conscious effort to speak positive thoughts about your life and your future. Wake up and begin the day with the positive thought that 'today will be a great day.'

2. Read positive books and listen to self motivating CD's and DVD's. This is a powerful tip for it works for me every time I need a little 'pick me up'. Find someone that motivates you and purchase a book or a CD that they have created. Then listen to it every time you a feeling less positive. It will help to rejuvenate you.

3. Change your Focus: Do not focus on the problem but your ability. I have realized that we often focus on our surroundings and our problems more than our abilities. This tend to produce negative thoughts. However, God have placed within us unused potentials. We have skills and talents that can also be used to fix any problem. So instead of focusing on the problem, ask God for guidance to the best means for resolution.

4. Keep positive affirmation scripture around you. My favorite scripture is 'I can do all things through Christ which strengthens me.' Post these scriptures on the bathroom mirrors, in your car or on the door of your refrigerator. When negative thoughts arise, overcome them by speaking the Word of God.

Our thoughts are very influential. God has given us this powerful tool not for our detriment but for our gain. Make the decision today to apply these simple thought changing tips to your life and see God turn your negative situations into positive.