Our thoughts drive our emotions which drive our actions

Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight. Proverbs 3:5-6 NIV

Have you ever made a {dumb} decision when you were angry? How many times do we have to be told to not do that?!? Have you ever wondered why we make stupid decisions during a conflict that we almost always regret later?

Our actions come from a direct result of our emotions which feed off of our thoughts. It makes total sense… Look:

THOUGHT            I should be able to do whatever I want
EMOTION             I feel angry and resentful that I have to not do something I want to do
ACTION                I do that thing I know I shouldn’t and I regret the decision tomorrow

THOUGHT           No one ever appreciates anything I do around here
EMOTION            I’m hurt; my feelings are hurt
ACTION               I cry and pout and yell at my husband because I feel like he doesn’t care

THOUGHT           No one will even notice if I died tonight
EMOTION            Utterly depressed and  lonely
ACTION               Takes too many prescription pills trying to get attention, but it kills him

Our actions are a direct result of our thoughts. So it stands to reason that the thing we have to change is HOW WE THINK.  Brilliant, huh? John Ward taught me that in regard to the way I eat when I began my weight loss journey a long time ago. We have to change the way we think before we can change the way we act.

So start by intentionally thinking differently today.When you think that you are unappreciated, remember that your husband carries burdens too. Perhaps he has something on his mind. When you start thinking that you are overweight and unattractive, instead set some short term goals on how to change that. To those of you Negative Nancy’s out there like me, being intentionally positive requires baby steps or we’ll jolt our system into default!

Father change me. Little by little help me change my thinking so that I can start to see a change in my actions, Help me God to understand the difference between good thoughts and bad thoughts before they get away from me.