There’s a big difference between managing your mind and renewing it. Managing is seeing and dealing with life in your own strength, from within the constraints of your circumstances and experience. For many, there are times that’s overwhelming, exhausting, unfulfilling, and the reason shut-your-brain-off reality TV is successful.
Renewing your mind is letting God transform the way you see your relationships, circumstances, and yourself as he does. It’s living in agreement with the grace, peace, joy, kindness, and wisdom he speaks to your heart. It’s knowing you’re never alone, and never unloved.
If you find yourself trying to manage your way out of a black hole of analyzing everything and everyone you think is wrong, and obsessing over all you’re missing, what else you could lose, and what you wish would’ve happened, hit the renew button. Start by thanking God for one good thing in your life, and another, and another, until they overwhelm every dark thought.
Center in on who he wants to be for right now, and who he says you’re becoming. Accelerate the process by taking every opportunity he gives to encourage and bless others, treating them like they’re as loved by God as you. Because they are.
Choose to see this day as one of the best of your life in Christ, and it will be.
“Don’t copy the behavior and opinions of this world, but rather let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you’ll know God’s will for you, which is always good, satisfying, and makes you whole” (Romans 12:2).
Equip Your Spirit 