“Our thoughts are one of the most basic sources of our life.”

A thought by Dallas Willard (2014-02-01) from his book, Renovation of the Heart: PuttingOn the Character of Christ (p. 96). NavPress. Kindle Edition. (Click on the title to go to Amazon.com to buy the book.)

Dallas continues, “They determine the orientation of everything we do and evoke the feelings that frame our world and motivate our actions. Interestingly, you can’t evoke thoughts by feeling a certain way, but you can evoke and to some degree control feelings by directing your thoughts. Our power over our thoughts is of great and indispensable assistance in directing and controlling our feelings, which themselves are not directly under the guidance of our will. We cannot just choose our feelings.”

I have been looking for something all morning. I still haven’t found it but my feelings about what will happen if I can’t find it have been out of control and they have messed up to some extent my day. I even have had a problem with setting down and focusing on finding a thought to write on here today. But finally I took control of my thoughts about the lost item and thus my feelings to the point that I am now writing. As Dallas said, “Our power over our thoughts is of great and indispensable assistance in directing and controlling our feelings.”

One of the main reasons I read first thing in the morning a portion of Scripture in to put God’s Word into my mind. And that goes a long way in making each and every day a productive day.

This morning I read from Paul’s letter to his friends in Thessalonica and he told them, “Yes, you are our pride and joy.” And I just realized after I was putting myself down for losing something important and in turn not being able to write something that will make a difference in your day that God started my day by saying to me, “Yes, you are our pride and joy.” Even though I mess up I am important to him and that has freed me from the worry and self-condemnation and lifted me to another day of productivity and joy.

So what thoughts do you have to start your day?

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