Happy Friday!
Over the past 50 years, the field of behavioral therapy has grown into a billion dollar industry. And it's no surprise. The power of thoughts is real...and critically important if we want to optimize the health of our brain.
One of the cornerstones to success on The Daniel Plan is to have control over our moment-by-moment thoughts. This helps us to have control over our behavior.
Neuroscience has taught us that the brain releases chemicals every time we have good or bad thoughts. Predictably, having good thoughts leads to a deep sense of happiness and physical relaxation. Likewise, bad thoughts tend to lead to feelings of unhappiness and tension.
One thing I've found incredibly helpful is thinking on God's character. It helps me to harness all of my good thoughts.
Here are a few tenets, along with examples of prayers and meditations, taken from the book:
God is all-powerful:
“Ah, Sovereign Lord, you have made the heavens and the earth by your great power and outstretched love. Nothing is too hard for you.”
God is love:
“For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord”
God is all-knowing:
“Before a word is on my tongue, you, Lord, know it completely. You hem me in behind and before, and you lay your hand upon me. Such knowledge is too wonderful for me, too lofty for me to attain.”
God is merciful:
“Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit who gives life has set you free from the law of sin and death.”
God is faithful:
“Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.”
I hope incorporating them into your daily thought process brings you some peace.
Have a blessed weekend!
-Noel