What Are You Saying About Your Circumstances - April 2009
During his twenty-five year tenure as Alabama's
head coach, Paul W. “Bear” Bryant, achieved six national
championships and thirteen conference championships. When he retired
in 1982 he held the record for most wins as head coach in collegiate
football history.
Coach Bryant once told a mentor-pastor and personal friend of mine
that he never won football games on Saturday. He always had them won
by Thursday.
Anyone who has played competitive sports knows the importance of the
psychological aspect of winning. If you face your opponent defeated
in your own mind…you’re defeated period.
I’ve been providing spiritual guidance and instruction for more than
20 years now for people in all stages of life. Regardless of age,
social status, or ethnic background I try to help people discover
that they are their own worst enemy when it comes to failure or
defeat. You believe you cannot ______, so you don’t. You’re
convinced ______ will never happen, and it doesn’t (fill in the
blank with your own circumstances). I am amazed at how many folks
think and speak negatively over themselves and their families.
Too often folks have convinced themselves of things that prove fatal
to relationships. When I am called upon to help couples on the verge
of divorce it’s often too late simply because they believe it’s too
late. I must admit to a great source of frustration – many thoughts
that are allowed to run around in our minds are toxic, yet people
won’t replace them. As a wise friend of mine quipped: “Don’t confuse
me with the facts, my mind is made up.”
This is also true to the positive side. You are your own biggest
asset. The “placebo effect” proved that what we think and believe
has tremendous power for good. A placebo contains no active
medication, but it was used on patients who believed they were being
treated with real medicine.
In a series of experiments, doctors filled capsules with sugar or
flour and prescribed them to patients who were told they were
receiving potent medicine. The patients believed the pills would
make them well; many started improving almost immediately. Their
response is called the “placebo effect.” The placebo sometimes
brings better results than real medicine because the patient
believes it is better medicine.
What if you believed the best about your spouse? What if you
believed the best of your children? What if you believed in your
dream, your ability, and your value? What if you believed in…you?
One final thought. I’m sure you remember this from your childhood:
“Sticks and stones may break my bones, but names can never hurt me.”
Well, that’s not entirely true. The words you speak can hurt more
than any stick or stone ever will. Choose your words wisely.
Questions?
If you have a question you would like to ask please contact us. You can email us or call 815-234-8032 or write us:
Global Harvest Church
Po Box 448
Byron, IL 61010-0448
