God Nudging My Thoughts to be Like His Thoughts

 

As you grow in knowing God intimately through Scripture, He will clarify His truth in your life.  The Behold Scripture and Prayer Journal has a section called Receive God's Grace where you can record those truths that He is teaching you across from your wrong thinking in a corresponding block.  We affectionately refer to this as our "wall" or the Grace Exchange.  To help you understand how to "renew your mind" each day by praying through these truths I have put some of my own in a prayer form for you below.  Use them as the Spirit leads you, replacing your own name in the ones that reflect the cries of your heart. 

My thoughts reveal my fears about daily life:

Who is directing my life:

My thoughts say, “I don’t trust You, God, to be what I need today or to be able to direct me.  I will figure it out on my own.”
 
My God answers, “I am 100% trustworthy and I will guide you on the right path today.  Don’t lean on your own understanding and let me enable you, Verna, to trust Me with your whole heart.  Include Me in everything you do, I want to be part of your life.  Proverbs 3:5-7
 
I cry out, “Enable me Lord to trust You to be my Only Wise God and to hold You in highest value (fear) instead of my own ability to figure things out. Thank You that Christ died so I could be free from walking through the day so unaware of my desperate need for you.”
 
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Spending time with God:

My thoughts say, “I am not going to spend time with You, I am afraid that You will let me down or I will let You down.”
 
My God answers, “Come, Verna, experience My faithful love in the morning, so you can remember it throughout the day.  I am trustworthy.  I will reveal the way to go as My gracious Spirit leads you.”  Psalm 143:8-10
 
I cry out, “Give me the strength to sit with You and experience Your faithful love while it is still quiet in my house.  Calm my darting mind to think on the cross and receive Your amazing love.
 
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Wanting the approval of others:

My thoughts say, “I want my husband’s approval, or my children’s.  If they don’t approve of me then perhaps I can gain it from those I teach or someone else.”
 
My Savior answers, “I approve of you, Verna, so much that I am entrusting You with My greatest treasure (the gospel).” 1 Thessalonians 2:4 “My favor, acceptance, delight and good pleasure in you is for your whole life.  There is not one day or one moment that I withhold it from you.” Psalm 30:5
 
I cry out, “I keep forgetting Lord.  Cause me to receive this favor and approval that only comes from You.  Jesus, thank You for dying for my rejection of Your favor that I demonstrate by constantly seeking it from others.”
 
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Wanting the praise of others:

My thoughts say, “Oh, it feels so nice when others sing my praises. I am going to work harder, to get more praise from those around me!”

My Maker reminds me, “I alone am worthy of glory and praise.” Ephesians 1:2.  I formed you for Myself to declare My praise and glory (correct estimation).” Isaiah 43:21
 
I respond, “Thank You, Jesus, that You died to set me free from this self worship.  You created me anew in order to reflect you exactly. Cause me to worship You.”
 
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Wanting recognition as a leader:

 

My indignant thought, "They just don't affirm my leadership.  I have so much more potential they could be utilizing."  As I am reading Philippians, God's words on this matter penetrate my heart and reveal the truth.

"I am offering amazing amounts of encouragement in Christ, comfort from love, participation in the Spirit, affection and sympathy.  Make joy complete by being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind.  Do nothing from rivalry or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourself...Have the same mind because it is yours in my Son, Christ Jesus.  He was the same form of Me but He didn't grasp for equality.  He took on the form of a servant, in human form, and humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death on a cross. (Philippians 2:1-9)

I am struck by the word rivalry.  That is what has been going on in my heart.  I have lost my focus.  Didn't God just remind me how He has called me to stand firm in one spirit, with one mind, striving side by side for the faith of the gospel?  (Philippians 1:27) I repent.  "I am wrong to worship my leadership instead of You, Jesus. Humble my heart, that I might have Your focus and strive with my leaders for the faith of the gospel without rivalry."

My fear of being disciplined:

My thoughts say, “I don’t like God’s discipline.  I am going to discipline myself with guilty feelings and try to learn from my mistakes.”
 
My Loving Father says, “I want your best, I want good for you, Verna.  I desire for you to share in My holiness and I will train, nurture and nudge you in that direction.  Let My love and power change you and you will receive the peaceful fruit of righteousness.” Hebrews 12:10-11
 
My heart responds, “But it is painful!  
And He reminds me about His pain on the cross, both His as He separated Himself from His beloved Son, and the cruel pain Jesus endured so that I could be His beloved child.
 
I cry out, “Jesus, You know about pain.  You were willing to bear incredible pain so that I might be healed. Cause me to trust Your love in this nudging me to holiness. My heart does desire to be like You and to share in that goodness.”
 

My thoughts again reveal my unbelief of God’s love:

“Am I precious to You, Lord?  Am I really the apple of Your eye? 
 
God my Father says, “I called you by name, Verna. You are mine, you are precious in my sight.” Isaiah 43:1-4 “You are the apple of My eye.”
 
I cry out, “But I am not sure You even need me and I only feel valued when others need me.  I serve and meet other people’s needs to get my need for value met.
 
Christ cries out, “Your value is not based on what you do – I valued you so much that I did it all for you! You are worthy of my love just because you are you. I came to serve you, not to be served. I gave my life to ransom you.” Matthew 20:28
 
My thoughts argue, “It seems to be the only way to be worthy of everyone else’s love. I was sure You felt the same. I have been working so hard all my life to be worthy of Your love, Lord! I thought I needed to do something to be deserving of Your love.”
 
He gently answers, “Serving long and hard does not make you worthy of My love. I have lavished you with My great love and called you my child because you are mine.” 1 John 3:1. Because you were worthy of my love, even while you were a huge sinner, I died for you.  Let Me meet your need for value.  I will do so, more richly than you can imagine.”  Philippians 4:10
 
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Needing to be good:

Depending on the situation my thoughts repeat often, “I am not good, I am not a good wife, I am not a good mother, not a good cook,  not a good mother-in-law. I am not a good neighbor, or not a good daughter.  When I am not good, I don’t deserve to be loved.
 
My God replies, “I am well-pleased with you, Verna. You have all the goodness of Jesus transferred to you.  I am good and My steadfast love endures forever.” Psalm 136:1.
 
“And further, you are always trying so hard to be good but I just want to remind you that I don’t base My opinion of you on your performance or your goodness.  My Son died so you could be free from the constant trying.  Give it up and receive My love that I am pouring on you.” 
 
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Wanting to be strong:

 
My thoughts say,  “I need to be strong and capable.  It there is something I can do, I should do it.  No one loves someone who is weak and incapable.”
 
My God says, “I do not faint or grow weary.  I give power to the faint and increase strength to the one who has no might.” (Isaiah 40:28-29).  I don’t expect you to be strong.  I expect My Spirit to be strong in you.
 
My heart cries out, “Thank You that I don’t have to be strong for You.  You want that weak little girl coming to you for strength.  Letting You do the work.  Letting You supply the power.