Training our minds to be disciplined takes practice. One way I learned to do it was to stop allowing my mind to wander during conversations. There are times when Dave is talking to me and I listen for a while; then all of a sudden, I realize I haven’t heard one word he has spoken because I allowed my mind to wander on to something else. My body is standing there near him and many times my face is even turned toward him, but in my mind I don’t hear anything he says. For many years, when this sort of thing happened, I pretended to know exactly what Dave was saying. Now I simply stop and ask, “Would you back up and repeat that? I let my mind wander, and I didn’t hear a thing you said.” In this way, I’m dealing with the problem. I’m disciplining my mind to stay on track. Confronting these issues is the only way to get on the victorious side of them.
I’ve also discovered that we all have a lot of what I call “mental roaming time”- time when we are not occupied with anything specific and our minds are free to roam around and select something to meditate on. This might be drive time, shower time, the time before falling asleep, or other similar occasions. We need to be careful to use this time in productive ways and make sure we think about things that build character and help us grow spiritually. These can be some of the best times to meditate on the power thoughts you are learning in this book.
As you fall asleep at night, do so rolling these thoughts over and over in your mind:
• I can do whatever I need to do in life through Christ.
• God loves me unconditionally.
• I will not live in fear.
• I am difficult to offend.
• I love people and I enjoy helping them.
• I trust God completely; there is no need to worry!
• I am content and emotionally stable.
• God meets all my needs abundantly.
• I pursue peace with God, myself, and others.
• I live in the present and enjoy each moment.
• I am disciplined and self-controlled.
• I put God first in all things.
Remember, the mind is the battlefield. It is the place we win or lose our battles in life. Indecision, uncertainty, fear, and random “roaming” thoughts are simply results of not disciplining the mind. This lack of discipline can be frustrating and make you think. What is wrong with me? Why can’t I keep my mind on what I am doing? But the truth is, the mind needs to be disciplined and trained to focus. You have a spirit of discipline and self-control and it is time to start developing it.
Ask God to help you, and then refuse to allow your mind to think about whatever it pleases. Begin today to control your thoughts and keep your mind on what you’re doing, saying, or hearing. You’ll need to practice for a while; breaking old habits and forming new ones always takes time. Developing discipline is never easy, but it’s always worth it in the end. When you win the battle for your mind, you’ll be much more decisive, more confident, and focused. Then, you’ll also be a more effective and productive person.
Think about It
Are you able to keep your mind focused on what you are doing?
