INTRODUCTION

Our minds are active from the moment we wake up until we fall asleep. In fact they’re so active some of us have a hard time sleeping and a harder time finding any peace of mind. Our thoughts in our minds are critical to our quality of life. This series invites us to pause for a moment and consider what we’re thinking about and then dare to allow the Lord to help us change our thought patterns. If we are passive in this process we will get limited to no results or change. If, however, we courageously take time to give the Holy Spirit access to our thoughts it can literally change everything about our life. It’s time for the mind games to end and for abundant peace to prevail in our minds!

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

1. When we see or hear someone complain it is easy to judge them. When we complain, however, we usually feel completely justified and like our complaint is valid. How natural is it for you to complain?
2. Pastor Cory said, “It is almost impossible to have a positive life if you have a negative mind.” Does your mindset lead towards the positive side of the spectrum or towards the negative side? Do you feel like you have an accurate perspective of yourself in this area?
3. Pastor Cory also said, “ cognitive bias is a mistake in reasoning based on personal experiences or preferences.” What is a personal experience that affects the way you think and look at life? What is a preference that you hold which affects the way you look at life?
4. Can you identify a filter that affects how you look at the world?
5. Can you share about your attempts to adjust or change your filter?
6. “The way you frame some thing determines how you see it.” What is something you cannot change the facts about, but the Lord may be inviting you to consider reframing?
7. Name something that you can be thankful to God for for the fact that it did not happen?
8. As you consider pre-framing, what is a mindset you are willing to consider changing before you proceed into a situation?
9. What can you do to be more intentional in looking for God‘s goodness in your life?
10. God wants to transform our minds. He will do His part, but He also wants us to do our part. What do you sense He wants you to do to see this transformation happen in your own mind?

MOVING FORWARD

It is a very rare thing for someone to choose to be negative. Yet, there are negative people all around us and every single one of us is negative without realizing it. The Lord wants to invite us into a positive and truthful mindset. We are only set free by truth. The Lord is inviting us to take an honest look at our own filters and frames. He promises to guide us to truth if we will just be willing to allow Him to guide us to the steps necessary to experience His goodness in every strata of our thinking. Inviting Jesus into the deep recesses of our minds, emotions, and history is not easy. This risky path will lead to the health, peace, and positive thinking when willpower can only offer us empty promises. Jesus knows you better than you know yourself. Continue to give him full access and trust him for the strength to lead you to life and peace that you’ve only dreamt of. Let the mind games end and may abundance flow in Jesus name!