In our everyday lives you have the controllables and the uncontrollables. There are things that you can control and there are things that you cannot. One thing we always talk about at our practices nearly everyday is controlling the controllables. I think our walk with Christ is the same way. God has a plan for us and we cannot control every aspect of it. There are things that we can control every single day. One of our controllables is our thoughts. You might be someone who thinks a lot and you could also be someone who rarely thinks about things. Both types of people have a common outlier and that is that YOU control your thoughts. The mind is a powerful thing. It’s in a battle every single day between things of this world and things that are eternal like God. Your mind also battles positive and negative thoughts on a daily basis.
In 2 Peter, Peter is writing a letter to believers to remind them of the ministry of Jesus and warning them against false teaching. One of his main goals was to remind people of wholesome thinking. Thinking-mindset-controllable-just like what I talked about above. Peter reminds us in this scripture.
2 Peter 3:10-15/17-18: But the day of the Lord will come like a thief. The heavens will disappear with a roar; the elements will be destroyed by fire, and the earth and everything done in it will be laid bare. Since everything will be destroyed in this way, what kind of people ought you to be! You ought to live holy and godly lives as you look forward to the day of God and speed it’s coming. That day will bring about the destruction of the heavens by fire, and the elements will melt in the heat. But in keeping with his promise we are looking forward to a new heaven and a new earth, where rigtouesness dwells. So then, dear friends , since you are looking forward to this, make every effort to be found spotless, blameless and at peace with him. Bear in your mind that the Lord’s patience means salvation. Therefore, dear friends, since you have been forewarned, be on your gaurd so that you may not be carried away by the lawless and fall from your secure position. But grow in the grace and knowlegede of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be the glory both now and forever! Amen.
There is a lot happening in those verses. In a chapter earlier in 2 Peter, Peter says that he writes to remind people of wholesome thinking. In the scripture above, Peter talks about having your mind focused on living a godly lifestyle over and over again. He warns us about the day of the Lord and how quickly and suddenly it is going to come. As believers what type of people are we called to be? We are called to live a holy and godly life as we look forward to the day of God. I think that it is very interesting how the same things are repeated only a couple of verses apart. I believe that is Peter emphasizing the importance and seriousness of the events that are going to happen.
All of that being said, try the best you can to train your mind to think in a wholesome way. Stop focusing on the things you cannot control, but rather the things that you can. Stop thinking about things of this world as those things will only fill you with negativity and short term fulfillment. When you start thinking in a wholesome manner, your life will change because you are thinking the right things. When you begin to think about what is right, you will began to become more obedient. Obedience leads to a stronger and more personal relationship with our Farher in Heaven.
I hope that you can be encouraged by this. I pray that you start having more wholesome thoughts. Once you do your life will change. Remember, the Lord is patient. His patience leads to salvation. We have to be patience just like him.
~ It all starts with your thoughts ~
I write for one reason, and that is to encourage others, give perspective, and get people excited about their faith.
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