It has been said, “We are what we eat.”  Someone has also said, “We are what we

 

think.  The writer in Proverbs 23:7 said it first, “for as he thinketh in his heart, so is he.” 

 

Our thoughts affect our life.  Negative thoughts have adverse or positive reactions. 

 

Thoughts can bring smiles or tears, gladness or sadness, peace or anxiety.

 

            It takes determination to make a definitive decision to stop negativity.  Many

 

ailments such as depression, high blood pressure and insomnia to name a few, had a

 

 beginning with plain old “stinking thinking!”  That kind of thinking ruins a perfectly

 

 good day or night.

           

            Have you ever been criticized or ridiculed?  Your mind immediately mulls it over,

 

trying to let it go, but it keeps coming back.  I once heard a preacher say something I 

 

have never forgotten, “Other people’s heads are not the place for your happiness.”   I like

 

that and I go back to this profound statement when negative thoughts try to overtake me. 

 

Dwelling on the situation only makes me lose my smile and zest for living.  Before I

 

know it I feel “down and out” and cannot pinpoint why.

 

Worrisome thoughts are tormenting.  “How are we going to make it?”  “What if

 

the test comes back positive?”  “Will I have the money to pay income tax?  The mind is

 

the battleground for the enemy of our souls.  So how do we combat him? 

 

God has put within each one of us the power to stop unwelcome thoughts. The

 

apostle Paul tells us how to have the right state of mind in Philippians 4:8:  “Finally,

 

brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are

 

just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of

 

good report, if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise,  think on these things.” 

 

            To change my life, I must change my thoughts:  “And be not conformed to this

 

world:  but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is

 

that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God”  (Romans 12:2 )

 

            It’s easy to praise the Lord in good times, but it takes real faith and courage to

 

praise him when things are not going well.  There is power in praise. “ But thou art holy,

 

O thou that inhabitest the praises of Israel”  (Psalm 22:3).

 

            We block the enemy’s intent when we meditate on the Lord in spite of the

 

circumstances.  Keep your thoughts on the Lord when you are tempted to worry,

 

especially in the still small hours of the morning.  Praise the Lord in the midst of

 

adversity.  Exercise your faith and trust.  In a trial, think of Psalm 56:3.  Let it

 

be your battle cry:  “What time I am afraid, I will trust in thee.”

 

            Negative thoughts are not our master.  If we can think ourselves sad, then we can

 

think ourselves happy.

 

            Stop the negative thought process.  Be stubborn in your resistance.  Stand your

 

ground.

           

            Count your many blessings.  We always have more blessings than problems.

 

            Be optimistic.  Nothing is impossible with God.  He can change any circumstance

 

around and turn them around for our good.  Optimism promotes a cheerful outlook. 

 

Optimism looks upon difficulties as challenges…an opportunity for God to show himself

 

strong.  Optimists soar like the eagles.  They ride upon the storm and use it to their

 

advantage.

 

            In illnesses, optimists realize the healing process is promoted by positive

 

attitudes.  They look at troubling circumstances from the viewpoint of the caterpillar

 

in his cocoon.  Struggling gives him strength to be free of his prison and he flies away as

 

a beautiful butterfly.

 

            When things seems to go wrong, we still have the choice of our attitude.

 

            Think happy today, tomorrow and every day.

 

            Make happy thinking a habit!