Last week I was feeling discouraged. I had been in something of an emotional slump, nothing drastic, just not feeling as positive or energetic as normal for me. Writing last week’s post helped and soon afterwards God sent more encouragement my way to lift my spirit and renew my mind.
Thank you, Father, for your unfailing love and tender care of us.
The source of this encouragement started with an email from Amy Porterfield (amyporterfield.com) promoting a podcast series that would be available for only a short time. Part one was about mindset and was just what I needed.
Immediately after listening to this podcast, the next one played which was Craig Groeschel’s Leadership podcast (life.church/leadership). Honestly, I had forgotten that I even subscribed to the podcast, I rarely listen to podcasts and hadn’t listened to any in months. But here God was, lifting me up with two very different speakers on a platform I rarely used.
While listening to these two podcasts, I realized that I had allowed myself to drift into complacency. I had stopped building, learning, and growing. My mind was stagnant with no fresh source of encouragement, motivation, or inspiration flowing through. Just as stagnant ponds allow moss to grow, stagnant minds allow complacency to grow which clouds our thinking and impedes our progress. We all need fresh water flowing into our lives to keep us thriving.
If you feel discouraged and apathetic, it may be time to take stock of your mindset and actively begin the process of restoration.
- Shift your mind out of neutral and actively consider what thoughts you have allowed to reside in the foreground of your mind.
- Acknowledge what thoughts aren’t leading you forward toward your goals; it’s time to take them captive and make them obedient to Christ (2 Corinthians 10:5).
- Surrender your mindset to God and let His Spirit lead you.
- Seek fresh sources of renewal, they are all around you. Choose to fill your mind from godly sources that speak directly into the area of stagnation.
- Act upon the truth that God leads you to (Matthew 7:24-27).
One of the best known verses on mindset in the Bible is Romans 12:2.
Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.
God knows that our minds need to be renewed in order to know and act upon His will for us, and He provides for this renewing in His Word and through His people who speak life-giving words. I can’t overstate the importance of reading your Bible daily, but this is not God’s only source of renewal. He brings refreshment from many sources.
- Reading your Bible
- Prayer
- Books
- Podcasts
- Church
- Talking to a loved one
- Confessing sins
- Giving to others
God speaks to us in so many ways, we just have to be willing to listen. Do not neglect your Bible, for that is your sure foundation. But do not overlook fresh sources of encouragement and inspiration from unexpected places. I certainly wasn’t looking for it when an email from a secular marketing leader popped into my inbox, but it was just the jolt I needed to start the renewal process of restoring my mind.
May fresh waters flow into your life sparking excitement and joy in work and life.