This plan is found on The Bible App and is from Pastor Craig Groeschei and Life.Church.

Day One:

Our thoughts matter and we must learn how to process them. What we think, no matter how much we like to think otherwise, eventually becomes the energy we give out into the world. It is much easier to think negatively, we may not even realize that we are doing so, because the world is constantly throwing negativity at us. Stress. Worries. Disease. War. Rumors. It is in our face on a constant basis it seems. In order to have success in “taking our thoughts captive” we must seek God’s help and His truth.

Proverbs Chapter 4 speaks of wisdom: We are to get wisdom and understanding and to not turn from it. [GET means we must act and actually seek it out] We are not to forsake wisdom. Wisdom protects us. Watches over us. How do we get wisdom? Seek out Godly wisdom. It is the most important. This is something that requires action, constant action. Seek understanding: spiritual discernment and logical comprehension. We must prize, value and embrace wisdom. There honor, beauty and grace are found. Wisdom keeps you from stumbling. Keeps you steady on your path in life. Truth is that the wicked do not seek nor value wisdom. Wisdom shines a light on the sin and the wrongs in their life. Wicked enjoy seeing others fall. They take pleasure in others stumbling and being in darkness. The path of the righteous is like the light of dawn. Shining brighter and brighter until it reaches its full strength and glory [TRUTH: I struggled with the word righteous. However, it is not a horrible word. It is a beautiful and pure attribute. It simply means a good heart. I am 43. I have always struggled with that word, but I finally understand that it is self-righteousness that is unbecoming. Righteousness is a rare quality, and it is a thing of beauty.] GUARD YOUR HEART: from it flow the springs of life. DO NOT SPEAK LIES. STAY THE COURSE: keep your eyes/your spirit calm, strong and keep moving straight forward with moral courage and integrity.

Self-reflection: How have toxic thoughts affected my life and relationships? They stole life, stole joy, stole hope from my very existence. They imprisoned me. Stuck in a day-to-day existence and NOT a life of living. Stuck in bad relationships. Stuck in making the same detrimental choices over and over. They essentially delay God’s work and me walking the path He so graciously paved for me. Toxic thoughts lock you in. God’s thoughts free you and bring life.

There is this belief that knowledge and wisdom are the same. They are different. One can know every word in a book, like The Bible, but knowing each word is knowledge only. Understanding the words, the meaning of them, why they are there and how they are to be implemented in life and lived: that is wisdom. Wisdom begins and comes from God. You must desire wisdom. You must seek wisdom. You must pray to God to grant you wisdom. He gives generously to those who ask. Wisdom is the only way to freedom, life, glory and honor. We must be careful what we allow into our “bubbles”. The people we hang out with. The music we listen to. The movies or tv shows we watch. The books we read. The type of and amount of time we spend on social media as well as mass media and news programs. These things dictate how we feel and what we think. ALWAYS. No one is immune to that. The way we feel and think then dictates our existence. In truth, we should consider our hearts and our minds sacred and worthy of guarding.

What I always want to end with, even if I forget to say it, minute to minute/day to day/month to month/year to year, it is okay if you stumble. Falling is never a shameful act. Not getting back up is what is shameful. Be kind. To yourself and to others. We see that message a lot nowadays. What many fail to realize is that is what God’s word is all about. Love.