Think Your Way to Success

My clients rarely come into my Christian counseling practice realizing how much their thinking affects their emotions, expectations, behaviors, and relationships. It doesn’t take them long to catch on and identify what they are thinking, where the pattern of thinking developed in their life, if it is a faulty or distorted thought, and how they can grab the thoughts and re-frame them in any situation. I have heard over and over, “wow, I feel so empowered” as they begin to take control and improve their life.

How you think affects everything:

The way you see yourself
Your expectations of self and others
Your thinking dictates your choices and behaviors
What you settle for in relationships
Your thinking determines whether you believe that you can accomplish and succeed, or fail. Whether or not you operate in a performance based mentality, or a victim mentality It either moves you toward solutions and being proactive, or keeps you stuck

Here is a biblical example of amazing thinking skills. Ask yourself what you would have done with these circumstances; would you have had the same great outcome?

Joseph was the son of Jacob and was hated by his brothers for the favoritism that their father showed him. They planned, plotted, and were going to kill their brother Joseph and throw him in a cistern, but instead they just threw him in the cistern and left him to die. Then when they saw the Ishmaelites traveling through the area they decided to sell him into slavery instead, and he was taken to Egypt.

Joseph landed in the home of one of Pharaoh’s officials, Potiphar. There Joseph found favor and prospered until Potiphar’s wife continually tried to seduce him. When he repeatedly refused, and even ran from her, she lied and accused him to her husband. So now after the rejection of his family, his hard work and ethical behavior, he was thrown into prison.

Joseph again prospered and was put in charge of everyone in the prison and was made responsible for all that was done there. He then interpreted the dreams of two of the King’s prisoners which came true as he described. Joseph asked to be remembered and mentioned to the King, but the cupbearer forgot him for two years until a need arose and Joseph was then remembered and called to Pharaoh. There he interpreted Pharaoh’s dream and was placed SECOND in command in the land.

Joseph experienced:

• Brothers who rejected him and plotted against him
• He was sold into slavery by his own family
• He had one bad situation after the other even though he worked honestly, with a good attitude, and godly behavior
• He was punished even when he resisted temptation
• He was thrown into prison as an innocent, God fearing man
• Joseph was forgotten in prison even after he did good to the cupbearer

I don’t know about you, but I think I might have felt sorry for myself, been bitter, critical, and expecting more bad things to happen. So the question is…what would you be thinking in response to these lousy situations and would it sabotage your future?

It was a healthy focus and hope, expectations of improvement, proactive choices, and character that lead Joseph to become second in command. No poor thinking, just healthy thinking that set him up to eventually succeed.

Would you have been like Joseph who:

• Kept his thinking skills in check
• He did not think as a victim but was proactive and productive no matter what the situation, even as an innocent in prison
• He trusted God regardless of what situation he found himself in
• He did not become bitter or critical
• Joseph refused to be a victim but lived as an overcomer

It is completely true when said, “it is not what happens to you but how you react to what happens to you” that directs your life, emotions, behaviors, and choices.

Stay positive; think proactively and eventually success will come.

Amazing thinking skills are what brought Joseph from the dungeon to the palace.

Now how can you apply this to your life?

Please share your thoughts with us at www.facebook.com/liferenewal

Dr. Michele
(904) 730-0775

Copyright (c) 2012 by Michele Fleming