April 10, 2025

Minding Your Thoughts

A Biblical Overview of Obtaining and Maintaining a Biblical Thought Life

Exodus 32:14 And the LORD repented of the evil which he thought to do unto his people.

Changing one’s mind is a wonderful aspect of the human experience. From time-to-time wrong thoughts invade our minds which need to be changed. God gives us a tremendous example from the pages of His own life to encourage us to change our mind when we realize that our thoughts have led us down a path that is no longer proper. God does not repent because of His sin, for He cannot sin, but He has on occasion repented in the sense that he changed His mind.

If you read the verses of the above chapter, you will find that God had a good case against His people. Moses interceded for them and the Lord changed His mind about destroying them. This is also a touching story of the future ministry of the Lord Jesus Christ as being our intercessor, and a challenging story to God’s people today to intercede on behalf of others. Nonetheless, God changed His mind, and so can we.

Years ago, I had an adversary. This person didn’t like me, and the feeling was mutual. Perhaps you’ve had a situation like that in your life. This person would take every opportunity to make me look bad, which was easy enough with all the mistakes I made. The spreading of rumors; questioning my motives, and such. You know the type. Frankly, I was no better.

One day I was praying and thought I would be a good Christian and ask the Lord to bless this person, I even told the Lord that I loved them and wished them well. As clearly as I have ever sensed the leadership of the Lord, I know He rebuked me and let me know that I should quit lying to Him. So, I told the Lord the truth. I wanted nothing but bad for the adversary, I even articulated to the Lord the specific ways in which I wanted that person’s life to be ruined. It took a while for I unloaded several years’ worth of meanness in my heart to the Lord. After this I saw things from a different view. My thoughts just changed. I can’t explain it but I know that the Lord gave me the gift of repentance concerning my own wrong thoughts and wicked heart.

My evil thoughts were changed, God changed them for me. No longer did I harbor resentment, anger, wrath and desire to exact revenge, He just changed me. Over the years I have prayed for other situations in which I knew only God could change my thoughts, and He has. He is so faithful. If you know your thoughts need to be changed, tell God every ugly detail, hold nothing back, and ask Him to change your mind. You may just find victory for living a stress-free thought life.

May the Lord bless and be pleased with your thought life today.

Dr. William T. Howe