Change Your Mindset

by Debbi Weeks

I have been blessed. Yes, I have been blessed with many good things, but it is amazing how easily I can let my mind go into a rant – even considering the good things that God has given me.

Take my husband for example (I know that line just screams of Rodney Dangerfield saying, “Take him, please!”). My husband, Matt, is a wonderful guy, but like all husbands (or roommates, or parents, or kids, or any relationship) he can get on my nerves sometimes. Sometimes he just doesn’t do want I want him to do or if he does, he doesn’t do it the way I want him to do it! But when I focus on those irritations my mind can quickly spiral out of control. If one could read my mind as it begins its descent, one would see it begins innocently enough, usually something like, “I wish he . . . or I wish he didn’t . . .” Soon it’s as if he can’t do anything right or worse, that he does nothing at all – both of which are complete and total lies (and you know where all lies come from, don’t you? STRAIGHT FROM THE PIT OF HELL! - as we like to remind ourselves in our home).

It’s all a matter of mindset. What am I going to choose to focus on? I memorized Philippians 4:8 this summer (although in trying to recall it to write it here I initially couldn’t remember the address! ). It says, “Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, dwell on these things.” Dwell on these things, “Oh.” I’m caught short in continuing to rant. At these times I need to change my focus.

One small thing that has helped me establish a proper mindset is a simple phrase that’s heard often around our house; “You’re a good man, Matthew Weeks.” (He always responds with, “None are good, no, not one.” To which I reply, “You’re good because you’re clothed in the blood of Christ.” Ah, but I digress.) I say it to build him up. And, perhaps more importantly, I say it to remind myself that he is a good man – it refocuses my mind to the positive. Believe it or not, that one small sentence can change my perspective and even my attitude. It takes my mind out of the rut of focusing on the bad and brings it back to a proper mindset of remembering what a good man he is. It works with kids and roommates and co-workers and parents and friends and just about everyone else too (of course you may want to change the name and the gender, but then maybe not, you could use the same line just to snap yourself out of it! ), since the real problem isn’t with the person, but with my heart attitude.

Hey, just so you know – you’re a good woman - after all, you’re clothed in the blood of Christ!

Father, God I praise You for Your omniscience – that You are all knowing and that You know my thoughts before I utter a word.

I confess that I don’t always want to have the proper mindset. Forgive me for allowing my mind to rant and continue down a wrong path.

Thank You that You love me enough to make me uncomfortable in my bad attitudes.

Please continue to work in me to change my mindset to dwell on what is true, honorable, right, pure, lovely, of good repute, excellent and worthy of praise.

In Christ’s Name, Amen.