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Right Thinking

Faulty information, incorrect assumptions, and unreasonable or impossible goals can drastically affect our thinking leading to frustration and disappointment. Today we are going to think about the steps we need to take to avoid these pitfalls.

When we set our minds on the appropriate things, our feelings fall into line and then our motivations and consequently our actions can be correct. I want to pick up on that idea of controlling our desires by controlling our thoughts. Paul makes it clear. In Romans 12, he tells us that we can be transformed by the renewing of our minds. This concept of affecting major change in our lives by directing our minds has been observed even by people who are generally antagonistic toward the Bible and its message.

In his letter to the Christians in Colosse, Paul challenges his readers to "seek those things which are above" or, phrased another way, to "set our hearts on things above." (Colossians 3:1-4) Here's the quote: "If then you were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God. Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth."

Given this, we can confidently identify three main areas which negatively impact our thinking:

One piece of faulty information floating around out there is that the material world is all there is. If you live your life that way, you can be sure you'll be disappointed because you'll be missing the spiritual dimension of life. You'll be robbed of finding the true source of happiness if you accept this bit of misinformation.

An example of an incorrect (though very common) assumption is that pleasure always produces happiness. The fact is, that pleasure in itself doesn't satisfy us. It feels good, but it doesn't give the deep sense of fulfilment that we crave. We know this from the way that so many things that are promoted as sources of pleasure end up being addictive. Rather than satisfying they engender more craving.

Some of the unreasonable and impossible goals which we develop have to do with acquiring the things we think will make us feel significant and give us the happiness we think we should have. Any one of these things can produce disillusion and a sense that we are being shortchanged if not actually ripped off. This makes us feel frustrated, disappointed and angry.

So what can we do to get things right? This is where we need the transformation to which we referred earlier. We need to build reasonable and reachable goals on assumptions that are correct because they are rooted in true information.

The next question is where do we find that true information on which to base our assumptions and goals? Some of it can be obtained through observation, but I would suggest that mere observation, helpful as it may be, is not enough. What we need is revelation from outside - from that realm of "things above" to which Paul referred in his letter to the Colossians. The source for that is God's word, the Bible. From my study of the subject, it does not conflict with observation, but adds significantly to it. We can only figure out so much from looking at ourselves, and others, and the world around us. We can assess how things are, but not the way they should be. To get behind what observation can tell us, we need information from the mind of the Creator.

What we learn when we look into the revelation He gave to us is that human beings were designed to find their fulfilment in their relationship with God. Ultimately, everything else will fail us and God knows this. That's why He has consistently called his human creation to Himself down through the ages. And He is making the same appeal today. He invites us to come to Him. To let go of the burden of working to please ourselves and to find the rest we crave in Him.

Sin (our weakness, failures, and shortcomings) gets in the way, but He has even dealt with that. Take Paul's advice and set your mind on things above to find fulfilment of your deepest needs.

Today we've thought about how faulty information, incorrect assumptions, and unreasonable or impossible goals can drastically affect our thinking leading to frustration and disappointment. The way to avoid these pitfalls is to correct, or renew, our thinking. The best way is to go directly to the source of truth: God, Himself. When we do that, we find that He wants to share His truth with us. He wants to correct our thinking and renew our minds. In fact, He wants to give us a fresh start, a transformed life.

Ron Hughes
© February 2003