Training your thoughts

In my last blog post, I mentioned about how I have learnt to train my thoughts to focus on what God wants me to think about. The Lord gave me an imagery of how a nail is magnetized by a piece of magnet. Rubbing the nail with the permanent magnet causes a stronger, more lasting magnetism in the nail. One pole of the magnet must stroke the nail from one end to the other in a single direction. The magnet must be lifted completely off the nail after each stroke before beginning the next one. The nail's magnetism increases with each stroke. Stroking with one pole of a permanent magnet works because it aligns the molecules in the nail in the same polar direction, giving the nail a positive and a negative end.

In the same way, this is how we train our thoughts. As we keep submitting each thought to the obedience of Christ, it becomes easier the next time to take captive of the negative thought arising in your mind. Romans 12:2 says 'Do not be conformed to the patterns of this world but be transformed by the renewing of the mind.' This is the process by which our mind is transformed, the renewing of our minds. As we keep doing this, our thought processes would not be haphazard and all over the place. These thoughts, like the molecules in a nail, will be gradually aligned in the same polar direction, pointing towards Christ. 

Jesus is like the magnet which magnetizes my thoughts and attracts me to Him. As I turn away from my self consciousness and choose to focus on Jesus and His righteousness, I find myself becoming more and more like the Magnet. And as a result, I attract other people when I become transformed into His glory. People see the glory of God radiating from my life and they too become interested to know about this wonderful Savior. 

Initially it may not be that easy to take captive of each thought but as time passes, you will find that it more and more effortless as you behold the face of Jesus. After some time, you may suddenly realize one day that your thoughts are no longer random but you have trained your mind to think in God's ways, to see things as God sees. 1 Corinthians 2:16 says we have the mind of Christ. Once you learnt to see things from God's perspective, you will be able to discern the deep things of God and His will for your life.