If you came over from Incourage, I’m so glad you are here. We are in week #3 of a study called The Mom I Want to Be: Rising Above your Past to Give Your Kids a Great Future. Today’s post on “Do It Afraid” goes hand in hand with what we are learning together. I am so glad you are here with us today! ~ Suzie
How do you change your perspective?
You grow a new groove.
My friend, the one I talked about in the last post, she’s growing a new groove. When she does something different — different from the old patterns, different from the old thinking, different from the way it’s always been — we celebrate that because it’s a big deal!
When you fall into a trap of negativity, it’s hard to climb out.
We think, act, respond in familiar ways. That creates a sort of a groove in our brain. Everything filters through and down that “groove.”
Let’s say that your teenager talks back.
If you do what your mama did, then you might react in anger. You might hit or say words that are hurtful. You might use labels that mark your child’s heart.
That’s familiar.
It’s not good. It’s not what you want to do. But you fall into that old groove.
Or you try to do differently and when it’s really, really hard (and it will be at first), you beat yourself up because others make it look easy. That guilt and condemnation is familiar. It’s your go-to, the old pattern.
That’s familiar.
Romans 12:2 is a promise for you.
Those patterns aren’t forever patterns. We can be transformed.
trans·form verb
We are not stuck in the familiar. We don’t have to do what anybody else did. Or what anybody else does.
We don’t have to accept guilt or condemnation when we’re trying hard.
Just yesterday my friend shared one new “groove,” something new that she tried. It didn’t work out like she thought, so she was a little down.
Instead, we stopped for a moment and celebrated that she courageously took a step out of the familiar. She didn’t accept the old pattern. It was a huge step of faith, and it was worth throwing our hands in the air and thanking God.
Growing a new groove isn’t an overnight process.
Transforming your thinking is a promise, however. That means you aren’t in this alone.
Where is God leading you? Is it out of the familiar into transformation?
Are you ready to grow a new groove?
Suzie
Today’s Study
The NLT version reads like this: Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.
Name one area where you want to grow a new groove.
Make that a prayer and write it in your journal.
For the next 21 days, celebrate each step forward, even if it doesn’t work out the way you think it should.
Q: Is it possible to think in a new way? How might this impact you as a woman, and as a mom?
Q: Note that the latter part of this verse says, “you will learn to know God’s will for you.”
When I read this, three words come to mind for my own life: free; joy-filled; strong. What three words might describe God’s best for you?
This is exactly what I needed today. I’ve been trying to change my attitude and stop being so negative. I’ve been trying to forgive and stop wallowing in self-pity about the past. I feel like God wants me to change my groove and transform me. Somehow my pessimistic self keeps telling myself I will never change. I know He can do miracles, but I have doubts He can with me. I know this won’t be an overnight process. I just need to believe and do my part in my transformation.
Deny those thoughts, Evelyn. Be aware that there’s an enemy who desires to kill, steal and destroy. Kill dreams, steal identity, destroy confidence in whose we are. I hear change even in this comment, so transformation has begun! Let’s celebrate that together right now!
Thanks for this reminder, Suzie! If God’s will for me is good, pleasing, and perfect, how can I doubt my worthiness? My fear of failure is chased away by His good will for me. My longings for satisfaction are fulfilled by His pleasing will for me. My feelings of inadequacy are dispelled by His perfect will for me. I must continue to believe what God says about me more than the negative voices I hear from the past. I am no longer “unworthy” and will not wear that name any longer. “My name is child of the One True King!”
Child of the one true King. . . beautiful, beautiful, strong, and courageous! You are a brave girl!
Just what i needed today. I have been praying about my habit of negative speech, especially using my husband as a sounding board for all my grievances. Yes, i need a new groove.
I’m so glad. Facing what weighs us down is key. It’s being honest with ourselves about areas in which we crave transformation. I crave transformation in my sleep habits. I crave transformation in the weight social media has in my real life. But if I only crave it, and don’t face it and then fight it, with God’s help, then I’m stuck and this girl isn’t going to live stuck. : ) I hear you saying the same thing!
Thank you so much for being a wonderfull vessel in Gods hands. How do you tackle an evil thought that kept on coming even after you read the word of God.
Found your blog while reading another one. Surprised we share a last man(my maiden) and my mom’s name is Susan Eller. Your article about calluses on our hearts spoke volumes. My family is going thru a hurtful time and I find it hard to love like I should. People who I don’t trust and those that drive me crazy.