I hope I can enter the New Year without feeling stuck with old thought patterns. Those patterns include playing the “What If” game when life gets complicated. Sometimes, I find my mind dwelling on thoughts like “what happens if I lose my job or get sick or can’t pay my bills.” Do you worry and stress about the decisions that may or may not happen in life? Other times, feelings of inadequacy cause all of us to suffer and questions ourselves. Then, we waste time on self-accusation for the mistakes we made. We miss out on experiencing the joy of life as God intended it to be for us. We miss out on the peace that God provides to every person He created.

Our thought pattern can cause us to miss out on experiencing the joy of life as God intended. Click To Tweet

John 14:27, NIV: “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.”

My old thought pattern

I tend to over-think many problems as I try to come up with all the ways something could go wrong. My overthinking even invades my faith walk. Sometimes, I feel called to action only to find myself coming up with a million reasons why I might fail at the task. Then afterward, I beat myself up for missing out on something God had planned for me. And if the made-up scenarios don’t stop me, then I worry about seeking the approvals of others before completing the task. If only I could do a better job of letting go and letting God be in charge. Even that thought contained a “What If.”

Galatians 1:10 – NIV: “Am I now trying to win the approval of human beings, or of God? Or am I trying to please people? If I were still trying to please people, I would not be a servant of Christ.”

Recently, I came across the attached quote that caused me to pause and think. Am I the person God wanted me to become or did all my “what ifs” and “over-thinking” turn me into someone else? I know Christ dying on the cross saved me from my sins. But I am nervous about standing in front of God and seeing what my life could have been like if only I had sought the kingdom of God first in my decisions. Will I be sad watching the person I could have been versus the person I was in life? Witnessing all the incredible things Christ could have done through me, if only I stopped playing the ‘what if” games.

Throw away over thinking and follow Christ wherever He leads. Click To Tweet

New Year, new thought pattern

There is good news for all of us. With God, all things are possible. It is never too late to begin again. As we begin 2019, let’s try to be the people God wants. We may have missed out on opportunities, but God will provide more for us if we stop playing the games. God has a plan, and a path marked out for each of us, all we have to do is follow it. Throw away your “what ifs” and “over-thinking” and follow Christ wherever he leads. He has a full and abundant life He wants to share with you.

Hebrews 12:1 – NIV: “Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us.”

Blessings,

Yvonne, Blogger, speaker, and author

Matthew 28:19 “Therefore, GO and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.”

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