January 14: Renewing your Mind

Renewing Your Mind

Author: Sandra Rose

Overcoming Negative Thoughts through Biblical Truths.

Romans 12:1-2

How do you overcome negative thoughts? Like a drug addict, I struggled with negative thoughts for a major part of my teenage years. At the age of thirteen, I went to visit my mom, who was working on a small island as a live-in helper. Since she had no personal accommodation for herself, a family member, Elizabeth, decided it was acceptable for me to spend the time with her and her family. To my surprise, after my arrival in mid-July, she dismissed the helper, and I became the full-time live-in helper without any form of compensation other than the food I ate and the place to sleep. I did not know that mid-July to mid-August was my orientation.

What made matters worse was that both Jeremiah and Elizabeth were verbally, physically, and emotionally abusive to me. This drove me to resentment, then bitterness, then thoughts of murder. Yes, you heard me—murder. I would think about taking Jeremiah’s ten points. Sometimes I thought about putting poison into his rum since he was an alcoholic. I thought of all the ways to delete him, and when my plans failed to materialize because I was a coward, I started reading and watching violence and crime. By beholding, I was becoming changed. I even stopped going to church. I had travelled into a far country away from God. While my sole intention was to eliminate my perpetrator, God had a plan for my life to give me an expected end (Jeremiah 29:11). He wrought deliverance from that situation in His own time and in His own way.

Although I was delivered from the situation, I was still living with myself and the thoughts in my mind bank. I was still bitter. But God. Yes, God made a way for me to attend Northern Caribbean University, and there I was invited to the Destiny of Hope Seminar, where the presenter talked about the cycle of sin and its effect upon us and our families. Although the presenter quoted many Bible passages, there are a few passages of scripture that resonated with me: “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that you may have life and have it to the full” (John 10:10). Instantly, the text helped me to realise that it is the plan of the enemy to steal my joy. Jesus wants me to have an abundant life, but the enemy wants me to remain in my pity party of evil thoughts, anger, bitterness, and resentment. He is a joy killer.

Another pearl of great price I walked away with was the counsel from the Apostle Paul: “But God demonstrated His own love towards us in this: while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8). Christ took the first step and died for me as a sinner, who is so undeserving. My favourite author made this comment: “Grace is an attribute of God exercised toward undeserving human beings. We did not seek for it, but it was sent in search of us. God rejoices to bestow His grace upon us, not because we are worthy, but because we are so utterly unworthy. Our only claim to His mercy is our great need” (Ministry of Healing, p.160). Paul helped me to realise that I must have the same mindset as Christ: humble and loving unconditionally. I should not wait on others to make the move towards forgiveness; I must first ask for forgiveness. It was difficult at first, but with much prayer and supplication, God empowered me, and I was able to release Elizabeth and her husband from the prison cell of my heart.

Although I emptied the chambers of my heart of the unwanted occupants, the challenge of evil musings would raise its ugly head from time to time, but I would crush it with the firing rod of God’s word: “Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 2:5). E.G. White says, “It means emancipation from ideas, habits, and practices that have been gained in the school of the prince of darkness. The soul must be delivered from all that is opposed to the loyalty of God” (Desire of Ages, p.330).

Prayer for Today:

Oh Lord, today I give my thought process to You and ask that You would renew my mind, so that I may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God. Amen.

Photographer: Shaqueena Shanuel Danvers