Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth (Colossians 3:2).
Do not let what you cannot do interfere with what you can do (John Wooden, greatest ever basketball coach).
If I remember correctly, the phrase that is used as the title to this blurb is by Norman Vincent Peale, author of The Power of Positive Thinking.
The Bible says much about thinking, the mind and the heart; Colossians 3:2 is only one of many references. Paul's instruction to us does not have to do with thinking about angels, or what heaven is going to be like, but it to do with thinking about God, what He is like--His nature and His values, and then begin to appropriate them into our lives. Certainly, God is righteous and His desire is for us to be righteous too. God is love and His desire is for us to love like He does. God is all powerful, we are weak but He is strong. Christians are God's adopted children, and, one of the blessings of being His children is that He gives us what we need when we need it much better than Bomgaars.*
I have said all that to say this, Christians should not be negative thinkers, focusing on matters of the flesh. A trite example: A week ago Iowa lost to Minnesota in football; I was bummed the whole week until we beat Michigan. What a silly waste of emotional energy! I am still an avid Hawkeye fan, but, when the game is over it is over, move on. The game didn't change the price of corn nor did it solve the economic crisis.
Positive thinking begins by trusting God and who He is. God has not created His children to be exactly alike, but He is Father to each of them. At no time should we think negatively and believe that we cannot have a significant impact in the world because we are not talented, or we do not have money--we have God as our Father who can do all things beyond what we can even dream (See Ephesians 3:14-21). Do not think negatively and allow lack of money or lack of talent to keep you from doing what you can do!
Our Father's Blessings,
Tom
*Bomgaars is a small chain of stores in the upper Midwestern United States with the slogan, "What you need, When you need it."
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
2 comments:
Dr. Steele, I am disappointed in you. I thought only Nebraska fans were "bummed" for a whole week after a loss. Being an Iowa fan, I bet you are "bummed" an awful lot! I thought you would be more mature than that!
What do you think about Joe Paterno and Penn State? They will be so down and devestated that the Big Red should roll over them like Crimson Tide did. Penn State did the right thing when they fired him. Why didn't the reported abuse make him so mad that he would do some serious butt kicking?
Somewhere in the Sand Hills, Husker Red.
The Nebraska-Penn State game is going to be interesting, HR, to see how Penn State handles their coaching crisis. I think Penn State will be angry and will play hard, but that doesn't always translate into a win. Nebraska by 7.
I had a client who always called me Dr. Steele, even though I reminded him I was not a doctor, only a master. You wouldn't happen to be him, HR?
Emotional maturity level is something one is born with. Faith, proper education and good companionship can functionally raise it, but caught off guard or under huge amounts of stress one tends to be what they were born with. It's sad that I allowed myself to revert to my natural state.
Post a Comment