WHY A FAITHFUL MINDSET?

So, what is a “faithful mindset”?

A faithful mindset is when we include in our Christian faith the practice of paying close attention and filtering what goes on in our minds so that it aligns more with who we are in Christ. We might be faithful followers and do good deeds, but allow our minds to harbor things such as negativity, resentment, and judgments. Wether they are about others, or about ourselves. It seems like a harmless thing to do because no one knows about it, but someone does, and that is God himself. I know there are times when I allow my mind to grow weeds again and have accepting that tracking and pulling them out will be a lifelong practice. But, as practice goes with all things, it gets easier and my transformation continues to blossom. And I can’t help but believe that our Heavenly Father loves it when his children learn how to grow into beautiful humans.

God knows all too well that our struggles and battles happen in our mind just as much as they do in our everyday lives. And he wants us to fortify our minds in such a way, that we are not held a prisoner inside our own head. Because unbeknownst to us, the negativity can keep us from allowing God to do his mighty work in us and therefore, we wonder why our lives don’t improve, even when we pray and do good works. I have found for my own life, that when I practice chasing away negative thoughts and beliefs, my heart becomes more open and my trust in the Lord grows. This helps nurture the peace I value so very much.

Being deeply wounded creates a mental shift that often goes misunderstood and mistreated. I know how easy it is to tell someone who is struggling longer than we think they should that they need to pull themselves together, or to get over it. But, this lack of empathy tends to heap shame and guilt on top of wounds leaving us even more crippled. But, as painful as it is, until we who have been wounded realize that no one can truly fix it until we are ourselves are ready to take action, we will be left feeling broken and unrepairable for who knows how long. But, we are not broken and we are certainly not unrepairable. Because God himself designed our brains and he knows very well the struggles we will have here on this earth. So, he built us with the ability to overcome. And though you are unique and special in God’s eyes, you are not so unique that he overlooked designing your abilities, as well as others. You are included in His plan! But, we have to be a part of the healing process. Not just do nothing, as if we are standing around waiting for a bus because if that’s what we are doing, we’ll be waiting a very long time. This means, we also can’t rely solely on others or drugs to make us feel better. We have to take responsibility for our healing, otherwise most fixes will be only temporary. We have to become our own advocate. If we lean too heavily on others, we will not only wear them out, but we will develop a codependency that can keep us in a vicious cycle with no true way up and out. Yes, we need support and yes, sometimes medication is part of that support, but we have to do our part, too. And it all starts with the roommate inside our head and learning how to take care of her and the body we reside in.

Becoming aware of our thoughts and beliefs and how they direct our steps, behaviors and habits. And even how they trigger feelings in us that don’t reflect our true reality. In other words, our injured brain will lie to us and make us believe in a bent reality. This might be in a very impactful way, such as assuming we can’t trust anyone, triggering negative behavior towards others, or it can be in a subtle way such as a small quiet voice that tells us not to take a risk to better our lives because we will just fail at it anyway. Whatever the message, the brain will do whatever it’s been taught to protect you, even when making changes for the better, simply because doing something new is scary.

No one, but you knows what goes on inside your head, so, only you, can take responsibility for it. Yes, sometimes support is vital and should not be denied, but, practicing healthy and positive thoughts about yourself and about the world around you, must be part of the plan. If we only medicate ourselves for anxiety, we will always need medication for anxiety. When we practice positive mental action, we can turn those things that cause anxiety into things that no longer bother us. Because when we face our fears with words of truth over and over again, our brain stops being afraid of what we look dead in the eye and then our body follows suit and begins to calm. Running from the fear only continues to condition the amygdala in the brain to be afraid. Therefore, it will always be afraid because that part of the brain 

Developing a faithful mindset does not require perfection, nor should we shoot for it, as having grace for the roommate inside our head helps eliminate shame and guilt. But, the practice of a positive mindset has given me the ability to target where feelings are coming from, make sense of them, restore my peace and to even help set myself straight when I wander into the weeds. As much as I have grown, I still have a feisty side and my closest friends know how skilled I am at telling it like it is. This is still some of the lingering effects of being so deeply wounded. It doesn’t come out often anymore, but because they have provided a safe zone for me, I can continue to process some returning thoughts as I heal, without judgement. And every morning before my day begins, I continue the practice of keeping my eyes on Jesus, so my mind enters each day with positive beliefs about myself and the world around me and my heart continues to bloom.

I have truly changed the trajectory of my life after learning how to develop positive thoughts that I now call a faithful mindset. And though I could not have done it without the Lord, he also could not have done it without me. So, I hope if you need healing of any kind, that you offer yourself grace, let go of any shame and guilt and give yourself permission to learn about the roommate inside your head so you, too, can begin your transformation. Your mind, your body, your heart and your soul will be ever so grateful.

Stay faithful! And never underestimate the power of a positive mind lead by Jesus