Replacement

Friday, February 13th
Replacement
By: Pastor Todd Crofford

So letting your sinful nature control your mind leads to death. But letting the Spirit control your mind leads to life and peace.
-Romans 8, NLT

Many of us think we are just victims of runaway mind syndrome.  It’s as if we believe we are in the passenger seat and are stuck along for the ride wherever our minds want to go.  Actually, a remote control is a better metaphor for how our thoughts work.  We can’t control every channel we stumble on, but we get to choose if we remain there or change the station. We can- we must- think about what we are thinking about.

We don’t always choose the first thought, but we get to choose the second. Plenty of things enter our minds, but only we can choose whether we invite them to stay or insist they must go. This is one of the most powerful ways we overcome the sinful nature in our lives, because our words and actions naturally follow our thoughts. 

Selfish thoughts come, but if I dwell on them they seem more reasonable. Lustful thoughts come, but if I dwell on them, I may compromise my purity.  The key is thought replacement.  I spot a selfish thought and choose rethinking in a more generous way. I recognize a lustful thought and choose to celebrate God’s ways instead.  In this way I am letting the Spirit take control of my thoughts and it leads to life and peace instead of death.

Don’t give in to the lie that your thought life is hopelessly bent toward sin.  Bend your thoughts instead and enjoy the renewing of your mind.