We all battle dangerous perceptions and soundtracks that play in the background of our minds and unhealthy mantras the world pushes upon us. BUT, there is good news friends — it’s that God desires to empower us with strategies to change our thinking!

If we can change our thinking, we can change our lives!

These principles we will look at this month — will help you to begin rewire your brain in a godly way, to cut off harmful thoughts before they take root, replace lies and internalize the truth of Scripture, so that we can actually begin to experience the freedom of a renewed, steadfast mind.

Key truth for this series:
OUR LIVES ARE ALWAYS MOVING IN THE DIRECTION OF OUR STRONGEST THOUGHTS.

This series is being based off a book by Craig Groeschel entitled:
Winning the War in Your Mind (check it out - recommend)

What the Scriptures have to say about our thought life can help us live our best life.

Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.
--Romans 12:2 NLT

Today we’ll explore what some call: cognitive bias’s or some refer to it as our mental filter.

We all have cognitive biases that can cause us to see things in ways that do not necessarily reflect reality. Remember, a lie believed as truth, will affect your life as if it were true. We might say: a lens with a distorted view can make lies seem like they’re true.

Social psychologists have a name for our distorted lenses.
==They call it a cognitive bias.

The term refers to a standardized, consistent pattern of deviating from reality in how we see and process things.

Simple definition:a mistake in reasoning based on personal experiences or preferences

Read: Numbers 13 & 14 — Moses sends out 12 spies to scope out the promised land that God has rescued them from Egypt and promised to bring them into...
2 come back and say this land is incredible; 10 come back and say the land devours people; these folks are giants and we look like grasshoppers in their eyes (I’m doubting they interviewed a Giant and asked them what they thought) — their filter is shaping how they see things…

It wasn’t the facts that were different for these 12 spies — it was the filter!

We can often recognize cognitive bias in others, but can you see it in yourself?

Part of the problem is that we tend not to see our own cognitive biases. Because if we knew it was a bias, we wouldn’t have one. That’s why it’s so important to think about what you think about.

You cannot defeat an enemy you cannot define. Asking probing questions to explore why you think the way you think and what you think is important…

Social psychologists have a name for taking control of how we perceive things. They call it cognitive reframing. = It’s when we learn to identify and correct irrational / unhealthy thinking.

Reframing definition: creating a different way of looking at a situation or relationship by changing its meaning.

Apostle Paul can inspire us when it comes to reframing! (think about his life and where he is when he's writing this)...

Philippians 1:12-14 NLT
12 And I want you to know, my dear brothers and sisters, that everything that has happened to me here has helped to spread the Good News. 13 For everyone here, including the whole palace guard, knows that I am in chains because of Christ. 14 And because of my imprisonment, most of the believers here have gained confidence and boldly speak God’s message without fear.

2 tools to help us FILTER AND REFRAME:

1) Thank God:for what happened AND for what didn’t happen.

"give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus." -1 Thess. 5:18

In a culture with so much negativity, complaint, critique, criticism and whining - it is so easy to fall into RHYTHM and practice of our world — with what we hear and see demonstrated all around us — WE ALL CAN GRIPE FIRST instead of BE THANKFUL FIRST AND FOREMOST!

But we must also learn to thank God for what didn’t happen…
MAYBE WE NEED TO GO BACK AND REWRITE THE NARRATIVE WE HAVE BEEN TELLING OURSELVES.

We are wise when we trust that he is working even when we aren’t aware of it.
We are also wise when we trust the way he’s working, even when it isn’t the way we want. (See Isaiah 55:8-9)

**truth is: You find what you are looking for

2) Look for God’s goodness!

You may have challenges that you’re facing - that are legit and very real!
You might have situations that are difficult and you’ve got a lot of questions.
But friends - God is always at work around you and you’ll see it when you look for it.

example: 2 birds: Vultures and Hummingbirds (both find what they're looking for)

Cognitive reframing is empowering you (and Jesus) to determine the meaning of a situation or past circumstance.

When we reframe what happened in our yesterdays, that changes our todays.

Takeaway Truth:
YOU CANNOT CONTROL WHAT HAPPENS TO YOU,
BUT YOU CAN CONTROL HOW YOU FRAME IT.

Whether you joined us on-site or online, thanks for being with us tonight!
May you have a blessed week ahead!

Join us next week as we continue our FLIP THE SCRIPT series -- You won't want to miss it! We look forward to gathering again next weekend.