All About GOD - Growing Relationships with Jesus and Others

Wholesome … now that’s a concept

Wholesome … now that’s a concept. (fourth in a series, following Choosing Un-Brokenness)

You can be healed of your brokenness … if you want.

But you must courageously choose restoration,

and then go toward that which is wholesome.

whole·some adjective \ˈhōl-səm\

: helping to keep your body healthy : good for your health

: morally good

: suggesting good health or behavior Merriam-Webster Dictionary

It all begins with right thinking, instead of making excuses and copping out.

Seems like many would rather make excuses, which in itself is a little amusing to me. I hear folks trumpet the enlightened thinking of our day … the brilliance of our information society with great emphasis placed on personal choice, yet they are bound by low-level thinking. They are prisoner to thought patterns they do not stop and question, voices that lurk in the mind from things they have heard, been taught, or have erroneously come to believe.

You and I have the ability to choose good and right thoughts—wholesome thoughts—but it takes being intentional. Deliberately opting for wholesomeness will move us to a place of wellbeing and God-honoring thinking.

Victorious thinking finds its basis in God’s words.

Let us intentionally

>choose not to remain broken – for as Paul imparted, I pray that God, who gives peace, will make you completely holy. And may your spirit, soul, and body be kept healthy and faultless until our Lord Jesus Christ returns.¹

>choose life - Today I have given you the choice between life and death, between blessings and curses. Now I call on heaven and earth to witness the choice you make. Oh, that you would choose life, so that you and your descendants might live!²

>choose healing – Pray for each other so that you may be healed.³

>choose to get rid of bitterness - Get rid of all bitterness, rage, anger, harsh words, and slander, as well as all types of evil behavior.⁴

>choose joy – Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.⁵

>choose a positive attitude- You must have the same attitude that Christ Jesus had.⁶

>choose forgiveness – Ephesians 4.32, Colossians 3.13, Matthew 6.14, and then look at this: Jesus on forgiveness – Matthew 18.21-35 https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew%2018.21-35&...

**Take a look at these passages please. In these places and elsewhere in the Scripture, God puts a premium on his followers being people who extend grace and forgiveness to others—whether or not those who have offended or hurt us apologize or seek our forgiveness.

>choose contentment – For I have learned how to be content…⁷

>choose to live in the moment - This is the day that the Lord has made;  let us rejoice and be glad in it.⁸

choose to look forward and not back - But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and reaching forward to what is ahead⁹

>choose love - A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.¹⁰

>choose to be thankful! Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you who belong to Christ Jesus.¹¹

These are the choices you can make for victorious thinking. Oh and one more thing—one very big, important thing—look back at the verse attached to ‘choose joy’, Romans 15.13 - that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. All great and godly thinking is made possible through the work of the Holy Spirit within us. (more to follow on that!)

God, won’t you empower us to choose life today? Amen.

Choosing life,

Christine

^{1 – 1 Thessalonians 5.23, CEV}

^{2 – Deuteronomy 30.19, NLT}

^{3 – James 5.16b, James 5.14-15, NLT}

^{4 – Ephesians 4.31, NLT}

^{5 – Romans 15.13, NKJVwon’t}

^{6 – Philippians 2.6, NLT}

^{7 – Philippians}^4.11-12

^{8 – Psalm 118.24, ESV}

^{9 – Philippians 3.13b}