"For the thing that I fear comes upon me, and what I dread befalls me" - Job 3:25.
Either you are a believer in this or not. But studies after studies show that our thoughts have a big influence on what happens to us. The reason being that thoughts are catalyst for self-perpetuating cycles. What we think greatly and directly impact our emotion and behavior. Thinking that you are incapable won't make you even try. You will act incapable which feeds on the original thought and reinforces your belief of your incapacity.
Many thoughts are like self-fulfilling prophecies. A person who says to himself every day that he is a failure is likely to become one. He may even end up sabotaging his own effort to succeed. On the other hand, he who reminds himself every day that he's a winner will soon be one too. His positive outlook can affect many things and other people around him who will eventually be instrumental to his success.
People seldom go beyond their own belief of themselves and their future. Even a praying person will have a hard time praying for something they don't believe will happen in the first place. Henry Ford said, "Whether you think you can or cannot, you're right." In other words, what you think is what you get.
Someone said, "Our thoughts create words and our words create worlds." Thoughts and words are reinforcing each other either for good or bad. It may be hard to control our thoughts sometimes but blurting out the words to reinforce them is doubling our chance toward the fulfillment of those mind pictures.
Negative thoughts are landmines along the pathway to being your best. Too often, it's not really our lack of talent or skill that hold us back but our thoughts that we lack the talent and skill. Fortunately, the reverse is also true. If you consistently and intentionally nurture positive thoughts and expectations, you paint a picture of future success on the walls of your mind.
I'm sure we have experienced this too often to confirm the truth of the matter. So if we have the chance to influence our future with our thoughts, we may as well paint a good one in our minds all the time. We must be careful with our thoughts as well as our words. But let's not be too carried away by this idea because there are no guarantees that once we think positively, we always win or we are always blessed. A lot of what happens in the future is still in the hands of the Almighty. Nevertheless, the bible reminds us of the same truth.
Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.
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