Past thoughts? Today’s consequences!

I have an habit of jotting points when I listen to a talk or sermon. And going through my old notes I found this statement: 

Our lives today are a consequence of our past thoughts. Not past actions! Past Thoughts!

And another point I made in the same note was. Unseen thoughts produce visible consequences. 

 In my own personal life I can testify that such ‘unseen thoughts’ have been responsible for where I am in life today. And this led me to explore what the Bible says about our thoughts and what we can do to avoid ‘ unpleasant consequences ‘ of them if we can. So I asked and answered the following questions to the best of my ability through a selection of verses from the Bible. It helped me. Hope it helps you. 

What has God got to do with our thoughts?

As a Believer I have a firm and confident belief in the Providence of God. My understanding of ‘providence’ being – Purposeful Sovereign Design of God. Unfortunately to the human mind and physical senses I guess we can only see a very limited part of His providence. So to reason all that happens using just our intellect and narrow vision would be very limiting. Hence we need to accept the mysteries of God along with the rational reasoning of our minds and be at peace with what we can discern.  The reason I brought up the issue of providence, was to ask the question – Are our thoughts in God’s control? If it does what is the implication? or worse still, are our thoughts in Satan’s control too?

• For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the Lord.Isaiah 55:8
• How precious to me are your thoughts, O God! How vast is the sum of them! Psalm 139:17 
• Search me, O God, and know my heart! Try me and know my thoughts! And see if there be any grievous way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting! Psalm 139:23-24
• The Lord—knows the thoughts of man, that they are but a breath. Psalm 94:11
• Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. Proverbs 3:5

And as I reflected on the ‘process’ of thought it hit me that nearly 99% of it is not in our control. It is ‘spontaneous’ . And that made me ask the question around the control of 99% of our our thinking. Is it our free will that drives us to those ‘decisions’ always? Are all decisions linked to decisive thoughts? Can you escape from the consequences of your decisions – good or bad? Well it started getting pretty complex and I just had to surrender and say- Your will, Not mine be done!!

The other paradigm of subconscious versus conscious thoughts brought into question – mind over matters. Your thoughts do not necessarily mean, it’s your understanding? The following verses left me with more thoughts (pun intended) than answers

• And he said to him, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. Matthew 22:37
• For who knows a person’s thoughts except the spirit of that person, which is in him? So also no one comprehends the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God. Now we have received not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might understand the things freely given us by God. And we impart this in words not taught by human wisdom but taught by the Spirit, interpreting spiritual truths to those who are spiritual. 1 Corinthians 2:11-16. 

On His part God knows our weakness and our thoughts and has hence always been faithful to those who trust in Him.

• No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it. 1 Corinthians 10:13

But the following verse clearly sounds the dangerous warning, when God abandons us in his wrath- basically he steps back and says -“Man go by your thoughts”- and we know what happened and happens. 

• And since they did not see fit to acknowledge God, God gave them up to a debased mind to do what ought not to be done. Romans 1:28 – God’s abandonment 

So in summary, in some mysterious way, God directs our thoughts and yet let’s our free will also work.  And together they lead precisely to what he has destined in each and every second of our lives. Well that’s my view at-least.

What leads to good and bad thoughts ?

The moment we ‘think’ of classifying thoughts our mind goes to good and bad intuitively. Thats the universal moral law innate in every human ‘mind/thought/heart/conscience’…what ever you want to call it. CS Lewis in his popular book Mere Christianity set a very logical and rational reasoning for the existence of this moral law, which is as real and definite as the Laws of gravity. The challenge to us, with our pride and self righteous nature, is that we used this in devious ways. We took this law and managed to create a system bypassing God and eventually have come to ‘think’ either there is no God or we are superior to Him. And in that we have become slaves to sin.

• The good person out of the good treasure of his heart produces good, and the evil person out of his evil treasure produces evil, for out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks. Luke 6:45 
• In their case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. 2 Corinthians 4:4 
• But I see in my members another law waging war against the law of my mind and making me captive to the law of sin that dwells in my members. Romans 7:23
• He is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways. James 1:8
• But I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman with lustful intent has already committed adultery with her in his heart. Matthew 5:28. 

God’s standards of ‘bad’ thoughts are really high…so how do we escape? or can we really? What can one do to tune their thought in the right direction? By faith alone, by grace alone, through Christ alone!!

• To put off your old self, which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful desires, and to be renewed in the spirit of your minds, and to put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness. Ephesians 4:22-24
• Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect. Romans 12:1-2
• Call to me and I will answer you, and will tell you great and hidden things that you have not known. Jeremiah 33:3 
• “But watch yourselves lest your hearts be weighed down with dissipation and drunkenness and cares of this life, and that day come upon you suddenly like a trap. Luke 21:34
• Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, I myself serve the law of God with my mind, but with my flesh I serve the law of sin. Romans 7:25 
• For to set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace. Romans 8:6
• Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, Philippians 2:5 

What can we do to have ‘God-centred’ thoughts proactively? 

Over the last year it has been a battle of sorts for me-  thoughts versus conscience versus heart versus mind; some sort of a multidimensional ‘thought battlefield’. Yet every battle ended in an inner peace that can only come from Him.

• Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the Peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honourable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. Philippians 4:6-8

The more I continued to abide in the Word by His grace ( not by my strength ) the greater was the transformation and more clean the surgery of my thoughts. I can call it many things- ‘blissful surrender’, ‘joyful suffering’, ‘empowered obedience’, – but all it needed was to – Just Believe, Just Receive!

• For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart. Hebrews 4:12 
• Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. James 4:7
• Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect. Romans 12:2
• You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you. Isaiah 26:3
• When the cares of my heart are many, your consolations cheer my soul. Psalm 94:19 
• If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth. Colossians 3:1-2

But each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire. Then desire when it has conceived gives birth to sin, and sin when it is fully grown brings forth death. James 1:14-15

You sow a thought-you reap an action. 

You sow an act- you reap a habit

You sow a habit – you reap a character 

You sow a character- you reap a destiny.

Our lives today or a consequence of our past thoughts. So let the good ones in and stop the bad ones!!!