Change Your Thoughts, Change Your Life!
“And he said to them, ‘Follow me, and I will make you fish for people.’ ”
“If you can change your mind, you can change your life.” I cannot remember where I heard this phrase, but I appreciate its wisdom. Simple fishermen were performing their mundane tasks along the shoreline of the Sea of Galilee. Fixing the same nets as they did the day before, the year before that, as their fathers did, and their fathers before them. The fishermen dared not dream or even hope. Then one otherwise uneventful day, an itinerant preacher from Nazareth walked by and said, “Follow me.”
In that moment, these simple fishermen had a change of mind, and their lives changed forever. What changed was their belief that life could be transformed. That God was even aware of them, let alone cared, was a miraculous gift. Once Jesus began training and blessing them with the title "Apostle," they began to change their minds about who they were and what they could accomplish in their lives.
Their trajectory to success was not a straight line. These former fishermen learned, experienced joy, but were also frustrated by disagreement and failures to live up to the faith Jesus was offering. What allowed them to keep moving forward, even after their Messiah died and they ran away in fear and despair, was the reality that Jesus called them to something more. Their calling gave them the courage to step out of hiding and boldly proclaim the gospel, often to the point of violent death. Even in their dying, they experienced joy, because they were offering their lives to God and their lives had divine meaning.
Today, ask yourself how your mind needs to change to live the life God is calling you to live. What thoughts do you need to remove from your mind, and what thoughts need more reflection? Considering these questions will help you when, in your prayers, Jesus commands, “Follow me!” If you focus your mind on life, your answer will be one of courage and trust. You will follow, and your life will have meaning and wholeness. Prayerfully fill your mind with God’s guidance and truth, and watch your life be a blessing to others and God.
