A few weeks ago I was thinking about the individual thoughts that pass through my head. I began to ponder what was causing my life to roller coaster from time to time. A few days later I watched the movie, “Revolutionary Road” with my wife. After watching Leo & Kate’s on screen marriage train wreck I began to ponder what caused their demise. I came to one simple conclusion: most of us lack mental discipline. Leo & Kate’s marriage collapsed as a result of horrible mental discipline and focus on what matters most. After watching this movie I was shaken. It made me think of all the times my mind has drifted too and fro. I decided I needed to really take a look at my thought life.
I don’t like what I found.
“With weak mental muscles, the existence of joy in your life is random and unpredictable. Mental laziness slowly dissolves your potential for joy-first privately, in your thoughts, and then publicly, coming out in your actions and circumstances…(pg.7) As a result, thinking, talking, and worrying about what you don’t want can never bring you what you do want. (pg. 14)” – Tommy Newberry in the 4:8 Principle
I have a ton of things to be joyful about: I have an amazing wife who loves me more than I can ever understand. I have to rambuncious dogs who are a bundle of love and energy. I have loving and supportive in-laws, parents and family. I have a great job, at a church that really cares about meeting the needs of hurting people. I have so many great things in my life!
However, I spend more of my time concentrating on all the things that are not going well. I focus on the downs, not the ups. I spend countless nights tossing and turning worrying about how bills will be paid and tasks to be done. I have no discipline. I am mentally lazy. Although unintentional, my mental laziness is slowly eating away at my heart, soul and mind. Eventually I will become a bitter old hermit.
I believe it is not too late. I know I can change. The more drastic the change the more effort it will take, but I am up for the challenge. Starting this week I am trying with God’s help to develop a more sound mind and invest in “renewing my mind” as Paul says in Romans. At first my goal is to become more cognitive of the thoughts that pass through my mind. Then I want to start to dwell on the thoughts that are positive and encouraging. Along with these two simple steps I am also reading a couple books that will engage my understanding of what it means to renew my mind and take control of my thoughts. I know I can not control all the thoughts that come in and out of my head, but I can control the thoughts I dwell on.
Unlike Leo and Kate who were dwelling on all the wrong thoughts I believe that I can change my life by dwelling on all the right ones. Change is something that others can see in us over a period time. My prayer is that you will see a change in me over the next few months.
What about you? How disciplined is your mind? How important do you think a disciplined mind is?
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What a great post! Such a deep subject that most of us don't think about! I feel like I am disciplined sometimes and then others NOT! It really takes effort to purposely change your thoughts and think on the positive.
Thank you for bringing this to light—I will ponder it this week!
blessings to you and your quest to be a dad!
The thing that I have discovered from my first few days of trying to change the way I think is the fact that I dwell on so many negative thoughts. I allow so much negative “self-talk” to linger in my head that it eventually floods out in my actions and habits. It is also turning out to be much much more difficult than I figured it would be. But after 30 years of allowing my mind to wander where it pleases I suppose it is going to take some work.
The thing that I have discovered from my first few days of trying to change the way I think is the fact that I dwell on so many negative thoughts. I allow so much negative "self-talk" to linger in my head that it eventually floods out in my actions and habits. It is also turning out to be much much more difficult than I figured it would be. But after 30 years of allowing my mind to wander where it pleases I suppose it is going to take some work.
I completely agree. The question is how to discipline one's mind. This is a difficult thing because I believe the answer is not the same for everyone. For me, my mental laziness can be attacked with study and reading… but dang that TV sure makes absorbing information easy…
We each have to find out what it takes to flex our mental muscles before apathy sets in.
I agree Dave, it is so easy to allow things to distract us from mental disciplines. Because when it really boils down to it, it is relatively easy to read and study but some how we allow so many excuses to get in the way.
The word that has been on my heart for this year is "Stronghold". Doug and I have differing views on the meaning of this word. He believes it's Jesus' grip on your life which I agree with but I also think it can mean the lack of discipline in our lives physical and mental that I personally am with Gods help trying to break and will succeed! But sometimes when you're wrestling with your chains that keep making you feel like you're sinking and always working towards what you think is what God desires is your stronghold and that will blind you of seeing the JOYS that are all around you! So be careful of trying to live up to what your own expectations are so you don't sink!
Jamie – I know that I have high expectations so it is especially easy for me to feel overwhelmed as I try to figure this all out. My goal right now is not to set high expectations but to start to process what I am actually allowing to become a stronghold in my mind. As I become more and more aware of the things grabbing a foothold in my life I am confident it will become easier and easier to kick those things out of my mind and focus on the promises of God.
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