How are you doing? Many of us are not happy or not as happy as we'd like to be. To enjoy my life, to positively transform the ways in which I see my life and the world in which I live, I intentionally engage my thoughts. How I'm doing starts with my mind. Now, this seems fairly straightforward and self-evident. And yet many of us are not happy or not as happy as we'd like to be. Many people suffer from daily problems and feel more confused than happy about life. Shaped by Your Mind Every experience you have is shaped by your mind. When certain parts of our lives could need a little help or boost--when our job is not fulfilling, when there's not enough money in the checking account, when our lover seems distant--our minds are what is actually shaping, determining, defining those experiences. Everything you do, everything you experience, everything you feel--all of life is because that's how you deliberately think it is. A Common Question After our family fellowship, I took my family to one of my favorite restaurants in town to enjoy some lunch. After being seated at our table, our server asked me how I was doing. It was a common question that she has likely asked a thousand people. At that moment I was reminded that my answer to her would be solely dependent upon how I thought about the present state of my life. My answer was not dependent upon how my life actually was, but upon how I in fact thought of it. Regardless of what was presently happening in my life, my answer to her question rested squarely upon my thoughts, my mind. My purposive answer to her would be a direct reflection of how my thoughts shaped my world. My world is my representation, as Schopenhauer said. I have the freedom to manifest my world into whatever I'd like it to be, and I could share that with anyone.
"Welcome to the restaurant. How are you doing," she asked. "I'm doing great," I replied. "I think I'm having the best day. Glad to be here. Thank you for asking." Our Minds Are Everything Our minds are everything. How we think about ourselves determines how we live our lives. Everything I am and everything I've done are shaped by my mind. No matter where you work, no matter how much money you make, no matter who you're making love to, you won't enjoy any of it, unless you intentionally think to. Game of Life Let me ask you. How are you at this present moment (while reading these words)? Your answer will depend upon how you work your mind, regardless of the situation. Your mind could be in control, or it could be out of control, and your life feels like riding a wild horse in the night blindfolded. Either way, you determine it. And this is part of the game of life. Once you understand that, then you can play the game differently. One of the most important rules of the game is: the way in which you intentionally think about the present moment determines how you live your life. Spiritual Truth Jesus, Siddhartha Gautama, Lao Tzu, Paul of Tarsus, and many great philosophers, poets, and enlightened folk will all tell you the same thing: the mind is everything. Sam Harris, in his book, Waking Up, says:
Religion, which is the most destructive and dangerous man-made creation on Earth, and its dogma that condemns minds into prisons of fear and ignorance will not reveal this simple, empirical truth of life about our minds. So, let's not go there. Like-Minded 1 Peter 3:8 says that we ought to be more like-minded, united in spirit, sympathetic, brotherly, kindhearted, and humble in spirit toward each other as members of one household. In Conclusion I encourage you to learn more about the human condition and how each of us have been given a lifetime of learning how to live a spiritual life founded on an empirical belief in God that consciously engages our bodies, minds and spirit. We've all made lists of goals to accomplish. Yes? Your list may have goals of personal achievements, financial means, or a satisfying relationship. But what would be the significance of such list? In this article, we'll learn that:
List of Goals in Life Everything on that list of goals comes with promises that, once accomplished, would bring us joy, satisfaction, and a future time when we could really enjoy our lives. But this is just wishful thinking. Hopeful thinking. Because goals do not bring joy, peace, satisfaction and love to our lives. Q: What does bring those things? A: Our spiritual walk in life. Our believing action in God. Our minds are everything. What we think, we are. In Proverbs 23:7, it's written, "For as she thinketh in her heart, so is she." It doesn't matter how successful you are or who's in your bed, you won't enjoy anything in your life if you're mind is out of control. Goal in Life It's important to have goals in life. Yes, of course. I have goals that include good personal health, mature children, and good relationships. But people tend to search for happiness without understanding the rules of the game of life that we're playing. And the goal of the game for me, and for each of us, is to enjoy the present moment as myself, as I am, regardless of the situation. That's the goal. Now that you know the goal of the game, let's learn a bit about how to play the game. It starts with your mind. Sam Harris in his book Waking Up says:
Being Mindful of the Present Moment By paying close attention to how we think about the present moment is the basis for a fulfilled, spiritual life. We call this mindfulness. By becoming simply interested in the nature of your own mind, and by paying attention to your experience in the present moment, you can investigate certain truths for yourself, without accepting religious dogma or metaphysical abstractions. And examining and studying our thoughts can be done without awkwardness or embarrassment (which cannot be said when chanting Lord Krishna while banging a drum, for example). The quality of your life, how you feel right now, in the present moment, is critically dependent upon what you're thinking. The boredom, distress, irritation, worry, or disappointment - your suffering or dissatisfaction - that you may be experiencing in your life right now exists because you think it does. As a man thinketh in his heart, so is he. You're Not Alone You’re not. Jesus said, "I can of mine own self do nothing." That's true. Our natural predominant propensity is to go it alone, achieve our own goals by ourselves, with an "I alone can do" attitude. Our tendency is to trust in our own abilities and strengths. We believe and act as “self-sufficient" in achieving the goals we’ve set for ourselves, accomplishing them, and be happy and enjoy life. Goals Do Not Bring Happiness But none of those goals, and none of their promises of joy and happiness, will actually bring such things. Why? Because we don’t have the resources within ourselves to meet all of our needs. Alone we can do nothing. Divine Resources Only when we trust in the promises and resources of God, not in those of the world, can we truly find peace, love, joy, and satisfaction in our lives (2 Corinthians 3:5-6). Our sufficiency is not of ourselves; it is with God that we are self-sufficient. Physically, we have health, long life, shelter, and food. Mentally, we have peace, confidence, happiness. Spiritually, we have a new birth, holy spirit, spiritual rights, and manifestations. In all ways, in all situations, for all times, our believing action in God, when we walk in the spirit, we can tap into an inexhaustible supply, where every need is met. Our enjoyment in life is not based on human resources, but on divine ones. A couple thousand years ago, Paul wrote, "God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus." What this means is that when our lives are based upon God, walking in the spirit, then there’s no limit to our power and resources. Alone, we can not supply all of our needs. We don’t have the resources within ourselves to meet all of our needs. If we did, everyone would be blessed, happy, and at peace. Seeing Divine Blessings Regardless to how things may appear from the senses perspective, when I walk by the spirit I see divine blessings, which are eternal. The eternal things are the most important aspects in my life. The things that I see are temporary. In 2 Corinthians 4:18, we read, "While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal."
By believing, by walking with the spirit, you don’t have to worry, doubt, or fear anything. I am satisfied. I’m not in a constant state of want or need.
How? I can do all things through Spirit that strengthens and empowers me. I am ready for anything and equal to anything through the Spirit that infuses me with inner strength and confident peace (Phil 4:11-13). Summary I encourage you to be more mindful about your thoughts, which are the invisible boundaries that prevent you from enjoying the present moment regardless of the situation you're in, and understand how your believing action in God brings joy, peace and love in your life. Mind is Everything
A man is what he thinks. Literally. A man’s character is the sum of all of his thoughts. His mind is everything. Action Every action requires a thought. Action blooms from a man’s thoughts. Every act grows and springs from his seeds planted by his thoughts. Joy and suffering may be the fruits of his thoughts. He may reap both the ripe and the rotten of his own mental harvest. Character A noble, manly character isn’t created by chance, but by the natural result of continued effort in intentional thinking. Believing. A man is built or destroyed by himself. By thought alone, a man may create the weapons with which he destroys himself. His thoughts can also forge the tools with which he builds himself a comforting armor of joy, power, and peace. Between the Godlike and the bestial are all the of measures of a man’s character, and he is their maker and master. Proverbs 23:7 As a man thinketh in his heart, so is he. You may be interested in reading Learn How Your Spirit Makes Your Work Fruitful. |
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