There is power in positive thinking

Good morning everyone,

Our theme for this month: “Take care of yourself”

Our Bible verse for today: “Haven’t I commanded you: be strong and courageous? Do not be afraid or discouraged, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.” Joshua 1:9 (CSB)

Our thought for today: “There is power in positive thinking”

Throughout this series on taking good care of ourselves, I have repeatedly stressed the importance of positive thinking. We have approached it in a variety of different ways. We have considered the virtues of optimism over pessimism; we have thought about the importance of our self-talk and how it is that the most important conversation you have is the one you have with yourself; and we have discussed the importance of filling your mind with thoughts, ideas, and influences that nurture your soul. We have even talked about the need to sometimes remove toxic people and toxic situations from your life.

The storyline you allow to play in your head will ultimately determine almost everything else about you, including how you think, speak, and act. That then will determine the overall quality of your life. The poet and writer Ralph Waldo Emerson once shared this insightful thought: “Sow a thought and you reap an action; sow an act and you reap a habit; sow a habit and you reap a character; sow a character and you reap a destiny.” And it all begins with how you think. Your thinking shapes your life.

There is power in positive thinking. Positive thinking is just a mindset that focuses on hope, optimism, and faith in God’s goodness and provision. In the Bible we find numerous verses and passages that teach us to think positive and to expect good outcomes. Joshua 1:9 (above) is just one of them. There God instructs Joshua (and us) to choose to think in a positive way – do not allow yourself to give in to fear or pessimism. Instead, trust God.

In 1952 Dr. Norman Vincent Peale published a book with the title “The Power of Positive Thinking”. It quickly shot to the top of the best-seller lists and has been in print continuously now for more than seventy-five years. It has sold many millions of copies and has helped many millions of people. The book is solidly Biblical and very helpful in training yourself to think in positive ways and to maintain a positive mindset.

Taking good care of yourself in all ways – physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually, begins by cultivating and maintaining a positive mindset. As the Bible teaches over-and-over again, there is great power in positive thinking when that positive thinking is built upon the promises of God.

God bless,
Pastor Jim

(If you like what you’re reading in these daily devotionals, and if you would like more content from Oak Hill Baptist Church, join us on Sundays at 10:00, in-person if you are nearby or, if you are geographically distant or if you just can’t make it, online at www.YouTube.com/@oakhillbaptistcrossville

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