Your mental filing system …

In our mind, we have a “mental file” for everyone and everything in our life. We cannot get out of our “mental file cabinet” anything that isn’t in it … and what is in it is what we have put in it voluntarily, or through exposure to persons, items, events, things, etc., within our environment.

The way we view people, places and things has to do with two things: (1) our temperament, and (2) our thinking. While we cannot change our temperament, we can learn to live to the strengths of our temperament. But we can change our thinking.

In order to change our thinking, we must first become aware of what our thoughts are about a person, place or thing. Then, we can choose to think rationally, based on truth, or we choose to alter truth to a false narrative of our making … which is an irrational view of the person, place or thing.

What are the “mental files” you have stored in your mental file cabinet? What are your thoughts, views, beliefs, and emotions about:

• • Yourself … as a person … spouse … parent … employee/employer …Christian?
  • Your spouse?
  • Your children?
  • Your family?
  • Your friends?
  • Your home?
  • Your career?
  • God?
  • Your church?

What are in these files that are honest and should stay in the file? What cognitive distortions, temperament weaknesses, or selfishness are in these files that should come out? The things that need to come out are the things you need to change your thinking about. It’s not simply a matter of removing a thought, but replacing it with a new thought. What would be a more appropriate replacement? How can you mentally retrain yourself to keep the new thought in the file in place of the old thought?

The need to change our thinking — to clear out junk files and replace them with healthy ones — is only part of the change we need. All of us need God to transform how we think so that we are capable of thinking like Christ …

“But that isn’t what you learned about Christ. Since you have heard about Jesus and have learned the truth that comes from him, throw off your old sinful nature and your former way of life, which is corrupted by lust and deception. Instead, let the Spirit renew your thoughts and attitudes,” Ephesians 4:20-23.

Scotty