What we allow ourselves to think about can either bless our lives or ruin them. I wish that controlling our minds was a one-time event that we could accomplish and then move on to something else, but it is not. It is a daily struggle and that struggle is real. Fear not my friends, there is hope.

1. The Mind is like Soil

The mind is like the soil of the Earth. It doesn’t care what you plant in it, it’s neutral. If you plant pumpkin seeds in the soil, you will grow pumpkins. If you plant apple seeds, you will get apples.

The mind is exactly the same. If you allow bad thoughts to “plant” in your mind, what will you get? All kinds of bad.

Think about what you are planting in your mind. Whether good or bad, it will grow.

2. The Mind is like a Hotel

Hotels are open for anyone to book a room. Guests come and go all the time. With the mind, thoughts come and go constantly.

Imagine you are the hotel manager of your mind. If an unruly guest showed up and was destructive and dangerous, you would ask that guest to leave. You wouldn’t focus on that bad guest for days, allowing him to cause more destruction, you would escort him out of the hotel.

This is how we should treat all “unwanted thoughts” that pop into our minds. They are not invited, so they do not get to stay. I’ll take it a step further: You are the bouncer as well. You get to be the one who removes the guest, the one who takes action. You get to be the one who tosses that punk out the door and onto the pavement. Adios!

3. The Mind is like an Airplane

Every airplane has a pilot. What is a pilot? The one who flies the plane and controls where it goes and how it flies through the air.

You are the pilot of your mind. You control where it goes and what passengers you bring along. If there is a passenger on your airplane (without a ticket), you have to right to escort that person off the plane (before it takes off of course).

Sometimes the pilot can set the plane on autopilot, so that he or she doesn’t have to manually control the aircraft. When it comes to our minds, we use autopilot too. The difference is the pilot uses autopilot and sets the plane on a set course.

If we allow our minds to be on autopilot (without a set course) then we will allow our minds to drift all over the place. This is very bad.

4. The Mind is like Fort Knox

Fort Knox is the Army post in Kentucky that holds the United States Bullion Depository. This is the location of all the gold the US government owns. It is extremely well guarded in vaults with tons of security and 30,000 troops nearby.

We should treat our minds like Fort Knox. You are the one of the guards (actually the guard) and it is your job to guard it. No unauthorized visitors.

Who is controlling your thought life?

Let me ask you a question: If you aren’t actively controlling your thought life, who is? Let that sink in for a moment.

The Devil is an opportunist. All evil actions begin as a thought. All thoughts aren’t yours. You choose what thoughts are allowed to stay in your mind. The Devil would love for you to give up control of your mind, by simply not controlling it.

Takeaway: Take Control

Decide today that you will no longer passively allow “unwanted thoughts” to sit in your mind. Your mind is yours. Take control of it. Self-control is one of the fruits of the Spirit (Galatians 5:23). God says you can do it!

How? – Speak out loud

Speak out loud and proclaim that you do not want that thought in your mind. Replace that thought with something else. Declare your ability to control your mind. Say it out loud again. Take control! Focus your mind on the things you want to think about.

Philippians 4:8 (NIV)

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.

You can do it! What else helps you control your mind? Let me know in the comments below.

Ryan Maher
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