Do you feel like you’re in a battle for your happiness?
Perhaps you feel trapped by your past, torn between the person you once were and the one you wish to be.
If this describes you, you may be struggling in one of three particular areas.
Any one of them can keep you stuck in your past no matter how much you desire to move forward and grab hold of your new life in Christ.
The good news is that God always provides a way out.
So let’s talk today about the 3 places where you might be stuck, and how you can break free and live a new life in Christ.
Image.
At some point in life, each of us realizes that we are not the best ticket in town and we begin to feel insecure.
This is natural as children break out of their self-centered behaviors and start to notice the world around them.
But many stay in this state, and become fearful of showing their flaws. And since we all have them, there is only one other option, and that is to create an image.
You can really see this in action on social media. Rarely do you see someone post a pic with bad lighting, showing all their flaws, or talking about how terrible their life is.
The problem is, once you create an image, you have to maintain it. Lies and deception—become your norm.
If you truly want to break free from your past and live a new life in Christ, the only image you should align with is who you are in Christ. It is important to have an accurate assessment of yourself, flaws and all.
That does not mean that you put yourself down. Paul reminds us in Romans 12:3 to not think more highly of ourselves than we should, but think of yourself with sober judgment.
Fear.
This is a biggie. Fear comes in many forms but in every instance, it disguises itself well. It hides behind past experiences, future uncertainties, and voices of confusion. Fear is a motivator for some (and not in a good way), a debilitator for others, and a demon for most. If there was anything good about fear (aside from the fear of God), I doubt we would have 365 examples in the Bible for us to “fear not”.
Perhaps you’re struggling with a fear of rejection or a fear of the unknown and it’s keeping you trapped in a pattern of control. Maybe you’re trying so hard to control people and situations around you because of your fear.
May I encourage you today to give the fear over to God? He wants to fight your battles (Isaiah 40:31). He longs to provide for your every need (Phil 4:19) and he has positioned you for success (Jer 29:11).
Remember for God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control (2 Timothy 1:7 ESV).
Faulty thinking.
Proverbs 23:7 reminds us: “For as a man thinks in his heart so is he.” Thoughts lead to actions, so if your thought process is broken, your actions will be too.
You can’t change your actions, much less an entire mindset, without first changing your thought process. But how? Thoughts just seem to come out of nowhere and without our consent.
The problem is not that we are having negative, faulty thoughts, the problem lies in what we do with them.
2 Corinthians 10:5 reminds us to captive rebellious thoughts and teach them to obey Christ. God is not a fan of stinkin’ thinkin’.
Perhaps you recall the story of The Little Engine That Could and recite his encouraging words: “I think I can, I think I can.” These words encouraged children everywhere to think positively and to keep moving forward.
How unappealing would the story be if we had to listen to this little engine list every reason why something wouldn’t work and stubbornly stay stuck in his reasons? We have the power AND the mind of Christ.
My prayer is that you will allow God to transform your life as you renew your mind.
Do you wonder how toxic your thoughts are? Take this quiz to find out if your thinking is holding you back from living a new life in Christ.
If you are ready to control your mind and transform your life – Then join us for ReThink, an online course that helps you gain control of your emotions before they control you. You can check it out here.
My friend, Jesus, came so that we could have life and have it in abundance (John 10:10). Don’t let the enemy of yourself keep you stuck in the past when God has such an amazing future for you (Jer 29:11).
