Shaped By Thoughts!

Numerous biblical examples exist of men and women that started out well, but who along the line, their focus, thoughts, methods and actions shift. They move from God-focused to self-focus. We see selfish reasons and motives in some of the decisions and choices they make.

As I read the story of Jeroboam in 1Kings 12, this was what caught my attention about him.

This calls for a lot of caution for those of us still on the track of this heavenly race!

We must be careful about the reasons for our actions!

Why do we do what we do?
Our thoughts and motives must not go off course, lest we ourselves go off course!

Jeroboam began to exercise fear and his thoughts began to run wild. It all began from his thoughts!

This shows the need to guard what goes on in our hearts with all caution.

What are the things that go on in your thoughts?

What are your reasons for your actions?

Our lives and actions are more often than not, shaped by our thoughts.
We all have our fears and concerns but we must be careful to not allow them take us over!

We must always remember to take them to God who alone can allay our fears and give us the right solutions. We must be careful to not take decisions out of selfish reasons.

We must guard our thoughts with utmost care!

Proverbs 4:23
Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life.

Jeroboam’s action started as a little thought, which himself only pondered. He did not even think twice about it before he started to carry out steps to fulfil it.

1 Kings 12:25-30 (KJV) Then Jeroboam built Shechem in mount Ephraim, and dwelt therein; and went out from thence, and built Penuel. And Jeroboam said in his heart, Now shall the kingdom return to the house of David: If this people go up to do sacrifice in the house of the LORD at Jerusalem, then shall the heart of this people turn again unto their lord, even unto Rehoboam king of Judah, and they shall kill me, and go again to Rehoboam king of Judah. Whereupon the king took counsel, and made two calves of gold, and said unto them, It is too much for you to go up to Jerusalem: behold thy gods, O Israel, which brought thee up out of the land of Egypt. And he set the one in Bethel, and the other put he in Dan. And this thing became a sin: for the people went to worship before the one, even unto Dan.

Jeroboam had his fears like any other leader would, but he could have taken this to God in prayer.
That was David’s style of doing things; he took his concerns to God at every slightest opportunity! But Jeroboam became selfish and committed error for selfish reasons.

All these started in his thoughts.

His thoughts and actions were selfish and this was what led him to sin against God. That was the beginning of his downfall. He could no longer trust God to help him keep his people, he decided to help himself but in an erroneous way!

We must learn to take our fears and concerns to God!

The arm of flesh will certainly and definitely fail!
When fearful thoughts come, we must do all we can to remind ourselves of God’s faithfulness and the ability to help us through.

Don’t bow to the pressure of sorting things out your own way, all in the name of “wisdom”. There is definitely a wisdom that is earthly; don’t choose that! Go for the wisdom that comes from above….Ask God for wisdom and commit all things to Him!

Remain blessed!

©Funmi Adebayo