Personal Leadership with Christine Caine and Propel WomenSample

Our Thoughts: Mindset

“Life consists of what a person is thinking of all day.” - Ralph Waldo Emerson 

If you’ve ever struggled with persistent anxious or negative thoughts while laying in bed at night, you understand Emerson’s point. Life is shaped by the inner architecture that no one sees from the outside. A common trait of great leaders is that they intentionally develop great thought lives. Throughout history, many wrote in journals in which they wrestled with their own thoughts and feelings in order to bend them towards a great mission. 

As leaders, we must first lead our inner life.  This starts with disciplining our thoughts according to God’s Word. He tells us to “destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ” (2 Corinthians 10:5 ESV). We must learn to “take every thought captive” so that we can live freely to accomplish the mission He has laid out for us.  Romans 12:2 tells us not to “conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—His good, pleasing and perfect will.” 

If you’ve ever noticed that it’s hard to break free from persistent negative thoughts, that’s because of the way they affect your brain. Some scientists compare recurring thought patterns as building “highways” in the brain. The more we think a thought, the stronger the associated neural highway grows, making it more difficult to break free and change the pattern. Over time, our brain defaults to the strong, established networks already carved—which means overcoming persistent anxiety can be challenging. 

Fortunately, we do not need to remain victims to negative or anxious thought patterns. The Bible says that the Word of God is sharper than a double-edged sword and able to divide between joint and marrow. Reading, reciting, and memorizing His Word gives us the power to change our thoughts. It doesn’t happen overnight, but He can give us the strength to replace old, negative thinking with life-giving thoughts. The Bible instructs us in this area: “Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things” (Philippians 4:8 NIV).

Reflect: How can you be more intentional today in using God’s Word to counteract negative thought patterns? 

Adapted from Personal Leadership Conversation Series by Propel Women. Reprinted with permission of Propel Women Women. All rights reserved.