My granddaughter is adorable, but let me warn you–she’s nearing the terrible two’s. They label those years for a reason. It’s not in our nature to share toys, to patiently wait for our food, or to put up with discomfort. Just like our kids, we were trained day by day. Our parents taught us what was good and how to behave. Their parents trained them.
We all have areas in which we’re still growing, and we still need that training each day. It’s easier to follow our heart than it is to make change, and so, while some people grow others stay put in their miserable ways.
Even on my best weeks, I still have some of those days. Days when I take 45 minutes to swallow my pride, days when I’m slow to let go of my anger.
Here’s the thing. If we want to grow in Christ-likeness, we need to train our thoughts by taking them captive, before they take root–not 45 minutes later, not days after the fact–immediately. Argue with them if you have to. Recite scripture. Get into prayer. Demand that they leave.
Growing might not come easy, but there are 5 things we can do to help train our thoughts.
1. Pray – Often. Be specific about areas where you struggle with growth. Ask God to help shape you.
2. Read – Absorb the Word. The more you read, the more you’ll understand God’s will for your life, and the more often it will come to mind.
3. Obey – Walk in obedience to the Word and the nudging of the Holy Spirit.
4. Resist – Resist. Resist. The Bible tells us to resist the devil and he will flee.
5. Walk Humbly – Living right will bring you so much further than being right ever will. Remind yourself that humility is a powerful choice to serve God and that forgiveness is one of the strongest steps you can take.
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Tilling the Soil
Ask God to help you train your thoughts. Be specific about areas where you need the most growth.
Planting Hope
He that trusteth in his own heart is a fool: but whoso walketh wisely, he shall be delivered. (Proverbs 28:26, KJV)
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Darlene Schacht and her husband Michael live in Manitoba Canada where the summers are beautiful and the winters are cold. Together they’ve come to learn that relationships aren’t always easy, but that marriage, the way God intended it to be, is a treasure worth fighting for.
She began her publishing journey about twelve years ago when she pioneered one of the first online magazines for Christian women, known at the time as “Christian Women Online Magazine.” After three years, Darlene left CWO to blog as a solo author at Time-Warp Wife Ministries.
It was also during this transition that she worked alongside actress Candace Cameron Bure to write the NYT Best-Selling book, Reshaping it All: Motivation for Spiritual and Physical Fitness. Reshaping it All was the winner of both the 2011 USA Best Book Awards and the 2012 Christian Reading Retailers Choice Awards.
Author of more than 15 books, Darlene continues to write and to minister to her readers through her blog at TimeWarpWife.com.
Connect with Darlene:
Facebook: @timewarpwife
Instagram: @timewarpwife
Pinterest: @timewarpwife
Twitter: @timewarpwife
You are loved by an almighty God,
Darlene Schacht
The Time-Warp Wife