How do you think about that?

            Have you ever given much thought to how you think?

            It really is an interesting topic to think about. Even more interesting to actually talk to others about and even more controversial to say there is only one way to do it.

            Automatically I’ve lost half of you by saying there is only one way to think.

            Wow! Pretty rigid stuff huh?

            Actually it is not. Actually thinking this way will set you free. It will blow the doors off all your fears and trepidations and start chipping away at all your desires and cares that weigh you down.

            The way we think, the way I think, the way you think is hard to define.

We love to think we know how we think and why we think the way we do, actually we are pretty adamant about it. Not just us the living people, but for centuries people have thought about how they think and have been pretty clear about how they thought and why it was important.

            So how do you think? What I mean by that is, “Where do your thoughts start from?” In other words, what basis do you give for the thoughts you have? I’ve heard many different answers and theories for what people believe about the basis of their thoughts. Some of these answers and theories have made sense to me over the years, but only one has really worked.

            Some people believe there is an inner voice in all of us. Some people believe we think of our own thoughts and it is as simple as that. We think it up and live it out. Some people I’ve asked that question to say they’ve never really thought about it, which means they have, but it was not comfortable enough to hear the answer so they quit digging. Or people give in to the desires of their own heart.

Many people believe that people are good from birth but the Bible says something different.

Genesis 8:21
And when the LORD smelled the pleasing aroma, the LORD said in his heart, "I will never again curse the ground because of man, for the intention of man’s heart is evil from his youth. Neither will I ever again strike down every living creature as I have done.

But we need to base what we think on God’s Holy Word. For the Word of God is holy and true. God says that Scripture is God-breathed. He says it is life giving. He says it is bread for the beggar and drink for the thirsty.

So look in God’s Word and see what God says through his servant Peter about how we should think, 2 Peter 3 “1Dear friends, this is now my second letter to you. I have written both of them as reminders to stimulate you to wholesome thinking. 2I want you to recall the words spoken in the past by the holy prophets and the command given by our Lord and Savior through your apostles. 3First of all, you must understand that in the last days scoffers will come, scoffing and following their own evil desires. 4They will say, "Where is this 'coming' he promised? Ever since our fathers died, everything goes on as it has since the beginning of creation." 5But they deliberately forget that long ago by God's word the heavens existed and the earth was formed out of water and by water. 6By these waters also the world of that time was deluged and destroyed. 7By the same word the present heavens and earth are reserved for fire, being kept for the day of judgment and destruction of ungodly men.”

So the way I see it I can think like I want which is evil and ultimately futile or I can believe in God and let Scripture be the lens I think through, meditate on and let the Holy Spirit guide me, convicting me of my evil thoughts and encouraging me to repent and live in the joy and hope that Jesus so freely provides.

How do you want to think? Do you want to be burdened by sin? Do you want to be weighed down by evil desires? Or do you want Jesus to be the basis of all you think?