Have you ever played outside all afternoon in the summer sun and then kicked off your sweaty shoes? Phew! The whole room smells. Negative thoughts can be like those stinky shoes. Thoughts like “This isn’t fair” or “I can’t do this” fill your mind with stinkin’ thinkin’, and they can ruin your whole day.
Habits Start as Thoughts
Most bad habits start in our heads. If you think “I never get my way” over and over, it’s easy to fall into the habit of whining. If you think “I’m no good at this,” you might get in the habit of giving up. What we think about shapes what we do.
Take Off the Old, Put On the New
God doesn’t leave us stuck with stinky thoughts. The Bible compares changing our thinking to changing our clothes.
Ephesians 4:22-24 You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; to be made new in the attitude of your minds; and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.
You wouldn’t wear the same stinky clothes every day. In the same way, the Holy Spirit helps you take off old, rotten thoughts and put on fresh ones every day (Romans 12:2).
Swap in God’s Truth
When a stinky thought shows up, replace it with something true from God’s Word. Instead of “I can’t do this,” say, “I can do all this through him who gives me strength” (Philippians 4:13). Instead of “Nobody cares about me,” remember that God loves you more than you can imagine. The Bible says to think about whatever is true, right, and lovely (Philippians 4:8).
The Takeaway
Stinkin’ thinkin’ leads to bad habits, but God can make your mind new. This week, when you feel annoyed, jealous, or ready to complain, do a mind-check: “Is this thought helping me act like Jesus, or is it making my attitude stink?” Then throw it out and replace it with a truth from God’s Word.
