Holy Habits: 1 Corinthians 10:5

God's Word

2 Corinthians 10:5 NIV

We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.

Living a Holy Life begins in our minds. What we think influences every action we take. Our beliefs begin in our brains. Therefore, the first step to adjusting our behaviors from coping habits to holy habits is by making sure what that our beliefs line up with Scripture. Essentially we need to take inventory of our thought life and figure out if it lines up with the Scripture say is true.

It is like the old saying, "What goes in must come out!" What goes into our mind will come out in our behavior. For example, when we knock the candle off the counter and it shatters on the floor, do we say to ourselves, "You idiot. You're such a klutz!" Or do we admit, "Bummer. I ought to be more a careful."

It is right then and there, in the midst of the moment, that we have to ask God what is His truth in the situation. I'm pretty sure we won't find "idiot" in His Word. God would never declare that of His creation. However, He would most likely instruct us to slow down, figure out why we are rushing around, which is what accidentally caused the candle to fall in the first place. If we've been in His Word, the Holy Spirit would draw to mind a verse, like, "Be still and know that I am God." (Psalm 46:10).

Although this scenario is simple, it is just one example of the the process this verse from 1 Corinthians is calling to our attention. When the Word says to, "demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God," that means we have to evaluate what we are thinking and root out anything that is not inline with God's thinking--which we learn through the study of Scripture. As we recognize the lines we are feeding our brain, we will be able to "take captive every thought" that is not true to God's Word. The way we "make it obedient to Christ" is by taking our own thoughts and replacing them with Scriptural truths.

A Holy Habit

This week, let's begin the active process of evaluating our thought life by taking an inventory of the many things we say to ourselves. Look for the times we condemn, degrade, berate, and beat up ourselves, based on our actions, attitudes, appearance, or even response of others. Even keep a journal, if that would help in being intentional.
But don't stop with just the inventory. Run to the Word to find out what God would say, instead. Use Biblegateway.com to search for the Scriptures, if you can't think of any on your on. Write down these verses and begin memorizing some of them this week. Share your verses with us, too, by leaving a comment to this post. I am sure that what God is saying to you, He also has in mind to say to the rest of us!

Heavenly Father, thank you that you know us so well, that you gave us this instruction to watch for what our mind thinks on and what we say to ourselves. Thank you, Lord, that we can take every thought captive unto Christ as we learn your Word and the person that is Truth--Jesus! In His Name, Amen.

Would you like to know more about the Holy Habits series?
Click here for more information.