It’s very easy to beat yourself up. When you sin or fail in some way, Satan puts self-critical thoughts in our minds which sound like our own thoughts. Then, we run with them and before you know it, we create a narrative about how dumb we are, how ugly we are, what a big failure we are, what a sinner we are or what a terrible Christian we are. We default to letting our struggles define us.
Yet, I challenge you to pray: “God, I pray that You would cause my thinking to line up with Your thinking wherever they are different.” That is what a renewed mind is. It’s the Holy Spirit replacing our stinking thinking with God’s astonishing thinking about who He is, who we are and how to live life. I want to focus today on God’s thoughts towards us.
God says in Isaiah 55:8, “For My thoughts are not your thoughts, Nor are your ways My ways,” declares the Lord. It’s very easy for us to take this as a scathing criticism from Him. Yet, it actually reveals God’s longing for us that His thoughts and His ways become ours.
When He looks at you, He’s not thinking about your failures or successes for that matter. He’s thinking about what He did for you and to you in Christ. He sees one of His children who is like Him. He loves you because He sees you as a new creation who is righteous, a saint (holy), complete, forgiven, loving, patient, kind and so much more!
This is why a Christian can’t be an alcoholic. That doesn’t mean there aren’t Christians addicted to alcohol, opioids, meth or cocaine who may need continuing care after drug and alcohol rehab. They need to admit they are addicted and need help so they can get help. The type of help they get can vary. For some people, they can easily quit their addiction, whilst others need a bit more support by going to somewhere like this Austin tx sober house. Sometimes just having that little bit of extra support is all that they need.
Jesus and the experience of His deep love for them can free them from their addiction as they learn who they are in Christ. Religion can be a great guiding force for many on their journey to recovery, but often they may require some additional support like that of Enterhealth (https://enterhealth.com) to provide them with effective forms of treatment so that they may return to a normal life.
If you struggle with destructive habits, stress, or depression, you’re not alone. Our counselors have faced the same challenges and experienced God’s answers in their own lives.
Get help through personal counseling or attend one of our upcoming Grace Life Conferences. God wants you to live in freedom!
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