Session 12

The battle for your home is as much a battle for your mind

From Win at Home: A 14-Day Devotional

I don’t have what it takes to be a good parent.

I doubt anyone would come to a group in my home.

God can’t use me because of what I’ve done.

We all have negative thoughts about ourselves from time to time. But have you ever thought about the connection between your thought life and your home life?

When it comes to following Jesus, we often focus on doing the right things and staying away from the wrong things. But every action we take, whether good or bad, begins as a thought. To put it another way, where our thoughts go, our behavior is sure to follow.

How we treat our roommates, raise our children, and love our spouses is directly connected to how we think about ourselves and God. When our thoughts are in line with God’s thoughts, we show love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control (Galatians 5:22-23).

But the opposite is also true. When our thoughts are full of doubt and fear, we make selfish decisions, assume the worst about others, and fall short of our God-given potential. We operate from our old nature, and not as the new creation we are in Christ (2 Corinthians 5:17).

If we want to win at home, we have to first win the battle in our minds.

The key to true transformation is renewing our minds, not trying harder (Romans 12:2). That’s why we read the Bible — to align our thoughts with God’s thoughts. As we read God’s Word, we learn who God is and who He says we are.

Reflect:

• Are your thoughts full of faith and hope or doubt and fear? Why do you think that is?
  
• What is one doubt or fear you hear consistently? What, if anything, triggers that doubt or fear?
  
• What do you think God would say to that doubt or fear? Ask Him to point you to a verse or worship song that can remind you of what’s true.