1 Timothy 1:15
This is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am chief.
All day long, the majority of my thoughts are about me. About things I hate about myself, about how I could do something better, about how I failed at this or that 8 years ago, about how if I don't change things soon I'll fail again......
What a selfish sinner I am! I am like the ungodly in Romans 1 who "because, although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful, but became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened. " What futile thoughts these are! No wonder my outlook has been negative and darkened!
Romans 8:5 For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit. For to be carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.
OK, so I guess I've been back in the flesh again.... but I have hope! God's thoughts towards me! He loves me - all the time.
Jeremiah 29:11
For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the LORD, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope.
Isaiah 26:3
You will keep him in perfect peace,
Whose mind is stayed on You,
Because he trusts in You.
Isaiah 55:8
“ For My thoughts are not your thoughts,
Nor are your ways My ways,” says the LORD.
His thoughts towards me are love and peace and my thoughts are sick and wrong!
So I am definitely not loving Him with all my mind if 75% of my day I am hating myself or my actions. Therefore, I will gird up the loins of my mind - I looked that up. When men needed freedom to work, run or fight, they would tuck the hem of their tunic into their girdle. So it is a metaphor for being prepared for service.
1 Peter 1:13
Therefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and rest your hope fully upon the grace that is to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ.
Thinking of myself all day long (whether pridefully or negatively) is still not thinking about others. It is just selfish and fleshly. I want the freedom to work, run or fight that comes with freeing my mind of any thought that is not from Him.
I have a future and hope in Him!
