Resilience and your thinking.

Christine DiGiacomo
3 days ago
4 min read

Updated: 2 days ago

podcast: https://www.pastorwoman.net/podcast/episode/2f5bb998/resilient-thinking-no3

Picture yourself at 85 years of age.

Do you want to be a spectator, or worse, one who criticizes and laments, and is full of regrets? You and I must not be about ‘the good ol’ days’, critical or negative; no way, I want to be like Caleb, still forward looking and ready to take the mountain!

The topic of resilience has resonated with many people--grateful for that! Resilient people thrive, they do not just survive or get by. The challenge: 'how do we actively choose to thrive?'

After a decision to follow Christ, who came to give us a life of fullness, joy and strength1, then we have to master our thinking; we must learn to think well.

Think Well –

WARNING: What I am about to share with you will change your life, if you take it to heart. Buckle up. Eliminate distraction for a few minutes to read (or listen) with care, seeking to understand and then soar with the power meant to be yours. You see, besides Paul's challenge to the Corinthians to exercise self control in disciplining their bodies, he also wrote the following words of life:

“ we are taking every thought captive

to make it obedient to Christ."2

Our thoughts are critical to our well being, therefore we simply must value good thinking. Paul would later warn the Christians in Rome not to copy the world's behaviors and attitudes, but rather:

"let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think ."3

Show us, God, what it means for you to transform us by changing the way we think!

Take every thought captive, Friends. Since it is in the Bible, that means it is possible--possible only through good intention, personal action and God's spirit at work within us. Turns out, we do not have to be a victim of our thinking; we can get a hold of it. But one thing I have noted - your attention please? - just to decide to think about better things, to stop thinking about destructive, negative or prurient things, does not make it happen.

To purpose not to think certain thoughts is next to impossible, but to replace the errant thoughts with virtuous thoughts is doable, but it takes discipline.. God’s words can be used to replace our fallen thinking.

David, beloved shepherd, psalmist and king wrote,

‘ I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you .’4

What thoughts plague you? Worry about the future? I have found that I can change my worries about tomorrow by trusting God with today. These are uncertain times, uncertain days, to be sure--but they have always been! Our culture is experiencing record high levels of anxiety. Jesus understood all of this, so one day, looking at those he loved, he said:

‘Do not be anxious for tomorrow for tomorrow has cares enough of its own .’5 The honest response:"Sure Lord, how do I stop being anxious?"Trust me, he says. ‘ Trust me with all your heart, do not trust your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Me, and I will direct your paths .’6

Jesus said 'not one sparrow falls to the ground without the Father seeing it,'7 so, dear Christian, rest assured God is watching out for you. Why? Jesus said, "you are more valuable to God than a whole flock of sparrows."8 Rest in that . . . look to God, entrust yourself to Him, trust him with all your heart, and live today. Choose joy! Because along with Nehemiah, we know that

the joy of the Lord is our strength .9

Do you know that feeling when your heart is filled with joy? Why, it seems your heart is soaring, that it has wings to fly! In order to experience it more often, in order to give yourself to it,

you must deal with patterns of thinking that rob you

of God’s refreshed thinking for you.

**Perhaps right here you need to stop and ask yourself a few questions:

What are the thoughts that take me down? _________________

When do I feel the most defeated? ______________

What do I think contributes to these thoughts? _______________

Awareness is the first tool to changing the way you think. [stay tuned for more on this]

Caleb set the example - you and I can take his lead (as well as the apostle Paul’s!) We can WHOLLY trust God, go all in, with intention, for the long haul, winning the race that is before us. Our gold medal will be awarded by Jesus himself when we break the tape with our chests at the finish line, bursting forth into eternity.

Let's harness our thinking and live the resilient life!

That we may sing, It is Well with My Soul: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VaxxtIxXKF0

Christine

no.3, resilience