“Thinking:  The talking of the soul with itself.” – Plato

“What a liberation to realize that the ‘the voice in my head’ is not who I am.  Who am I then?  The one who sees that.” – Eckhart Tolle

“Do not be conformed to this age, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may discern what is the good, pleasing, and perfect will of God.” – Romans 12:2 HCSB 

I don’t know about you, but when I think about the quality of my life, so much of it is centered in and contingent upon my thoughts.  Where my mind goes, my life tends to follow….almost like a dog on its leash – lead by wherever the dog walker chooses to takes it.

Speaking of thoughts and thinking, think about this for a second 🙂 A simple thought… something that cannot be seen, that has a fleeting, momentary, and spontaneous nature to it, wields such tremendous power! An intangible thought that is transmitted in our brain can set a course for our emotions, our actions, and eventually determine the outcome of our lives.

So….what are you thinking about today?  What is playing over and over again in your mind about your job, your relationships, and your current circumstances?  Is there a particular thought pattern that seems impossible to break away from?  Have your thoughts caused you distress, hurt, or ignited fear of some kind?  Can you see how your thinking drives your happiness, dictates your actions, and is the very source of your wellbeing?

Today, let’s start thinking differently about thinking 🙂 Here are some things to THINK ABOUT as you contemplate the power behind your thoughts:

REALIZE AND RECOGNIZE THE TWO DIFFERENT ORIGINS OF THOUGHT

I love the quote from Eckhart Tolle above.  It sheds light on the varying voices inside of us – how we have the power to observe, analyze, and make judgments about our thoughts – almost as if we are two distinct beings inside one body.

Well, indeed we are! 

The Scriptures refer to this as the flesh and the spirit – the body versus the soul.  Other teachings (Helen Schucman and William Thetford – “A Course in Miracles”) distinguish the two as Ego versus God – truth versus illusion.

Our ego (the body or flesh) thinks strictly in terms of its own wellbeing and survival.  It cares more about itself – immediate pleasure and satisfaction – fearing anything that gets in the way of that transpiring.  It’s almost as if it knows or has an awareness of its mortal nature – knowing its time is limited….thus, it must make the most of what time it has remaining.

Thoughts of fear, worry, and doubt all originate within the ego.  Anything that potentially threatens its happiness or existence is the subject of its thought process.

Can you see where thoughts about how a spouse is making you miserable, fear over your health, how a job is driving you crazy, or an obsession about your financial situation are centered in ego?  Can you see where thoughts of lust, desire, and want really originate?  Can you see how thoughts of depression and despair set in when the ego/body are deprived, unhappy, or temporarily repressed?

The spirit (the REAL YOU) is the deepest part of you.  It is eternal – living well beyond this life and the ego/body.  It is the essence of who you are – created in the image of the Creator.  It is the source of truth and light within you.  This is the “one who see it” – as Eckhart Tolle describes in the quote above – the true monitor of the thoughts of the ego.

Have you ever felt love for another at the cost of yourself, been hopeful within your circumstances, or saw the larger, bigger purposes within your situation?

These my friend are examples of thoughts originating within spirit, within truth, and separate from ego.  These thoughts come from a deeper place.  They come from the REAL YOU 🙂

So….part of thinking differently begins with determining the origin of your thoughts.  Are they ego-driven or spirit-driven – coming from the REAL YOU?

JUDGE THOUGHTS WITHIN THE CONTEXT OF GOD’S SOVEREIGNTY

Whatever thought patterns are surfacing within your mind currently, gauge them against the backdrop of a Creator who is ultimate in control of all aspects of life.

EVERYTHING that has happened, is currently happening, or will happen to you has been DIRECTED by or ALLOWED by a loving God.  Think about that for a moment – letting it sink into your mind.

The financial hardship, the troubled marriage, the difficult job, the failing health….all of these things are subject to and overseen by the Creator.  They are a purpose-filled part of your journey, directed and allowed by a God who knows where you are and where you are going.

Do you see how this thought, this kind of thinking, is spirit-driven?  It comes from the deeper places of the REAL YOU – where truth and light reside.

Can you see how ego-driven thoughts in troubling times tend to diminish this truth – focusing more on fear, selfish motives, and temporary happiness?

We begin to think differently about everything when we see a God who is in charge over all of it! 

SEE THOUGHTS WITHIN THE CONTEXT OF THE TEMPORAL AND ETERNAL

 As you observe your thought patterns, ask yourself these important questions:

• Are my thoughts more temporal in nature?  In other words, am I more concerned with what is happening within the moment then I am over a lifetime?
• Will any of the issues driving my thoughts right now really matter in the long run?
• How do my fears, doubts, or my worries look when I stack them up against eternity – against a life that never ends?
• What implications are there eternally when it comes to my health, finances, relationships, or profession?  When I think about things within this context, does it change how I see them?

Ego/body driven thinking is most certainly centered in the immediate, temporal aspects of life.  How I feel about my marriage NOW, my fears over my health NOW, or if my finances are flourishing NOW.  The temporal, mortality of the ego is thinking more about happiness, health, enjoyment, and wish-fulfillment within this moment – knowing its time is limited.  This is why it worries, frets, and doubts if things will get better soon.

But do you think about your marriage or your relationships differently within the context of eternity?  What thoughts do you have about your health when you look at them through the lens of an immortal spirit?  Can worry, doubt, or fear even exist in this line of thinking?

The REAL YOU is eternal – never ending.  Are your current thought patterns centered within this truth?  If they are, can you see how it changes things?

*****

I hope tonight you start thinking more about how you are thinking 🙂 – seeing the two different, contradicting aspects of where thoughts originate.

Once you begin observing where a particular thought is coming from, I hope you start weighing them against the backdrop of eternity – if they will truly matter in the longer scheme of things.  Embracing the truth of your immortality will alter how you contemplate, reason, and reflect on the temporal aspects of this life.

I also hope you incorporate within your thinking the often discounted truth of a God who is involved and in control of all things – either ALLOWING or DIRECTING all that transpires.  Holding on to this spirit-driven truth will change how you think about things – seeing them in a new light.

Together, let’s start thinking differently….watching how the quality of our life RIGHT NOW changes 🙂

God bless!