Every action has a starting place. Every strong emotion has a beginning. There is a reason why the father wants us to take every thought captive to the obedience of Christ (2 Corinthians 10:5). All transformation originates in renewed thinking (Romans 12: 2).
How we think about ourselves dominates our behavior (Proverbs 23: 7) and sets our agenda in life towards other people. It sets the attitude in which we approach life. An attitude is simply a posture that we adopt or a position we take that expresses some thought or feeling. It becomes a habit and shows up constantly in our behavior. It is a habitual mode of thought. Attitude is much more than a description of an antagonistically disrespectful manner or posture.
Low self-esteem is an attitude of mind that creates a sense of worthlessness in our own heart. Self-importance is a conceit, rooted in our thought life that produces an arrogance and an overbearing attitude. All behavioral attitudes in between these two extremes have their roots in a thought process. Working on our thinking is a key part of being disciplined and led by the Spirit. All teaching must model the right way to live in Christ.
Every day we wake up with an attitude, a mindset that either works for us or against us. Differing situations provide a behavioral response that is positive or negative. Certain people bring out our particular responses that governor our behavior towards them. These attitudes are rooted in perceptions and emotions that are entrenched in a thought. The mind is the seed bed for all that we do and speak. Negative thoughts are always confirmed by unenthusiastic emotions. Positive thoughts cheerfully validate everyone and everything.
Jesus has set us free to learn how to become like him. Let this mind (have this attitude) be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus, who although existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped. He emptied himself, taking the form of a bond servant. Being found in the likeness of a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross (Philippians 2: 5-8).
The thinking of Jesus shaped his personality as a man, his persona as a bond slave, his ministry towards humanity and his humility and obedience towards his father. He took on new mindsets, attitudes, and approaches to life so that he could fulfill the purpose of his father. All these were deliberate thoughts and actions on his part. He saw it through! He changed his thinking to accommodate the life that was required of him. He was not double minded and therefore unstable (James 1: 8) in his thinking, emotions and behavior.
The reason that we are in our current position is always our thinking. Our thinking brought us here; and it must, therefore, take us out and onward. If all our thinking has brought us to a place that we don’t like, then surely it is time for a better thought!