Thoughts – Part 5

DAILY BYTE

So what really is the difference between modern positive-thinking techniques and ‘taking captive every thought’ for Christ? Well, quite a lot actually.

Both do affirm the power of our thought lives over the rest of our existence, but otherwise tend to differ in quite important ways. Take one of the latest positive-thinking sensation ‘The Secret’ for example. Now, ‘The Secret’ proclaims that there has been this ancient secret of success, jealously guarded by the most accomplished and high-profiled people of our society throughout history, (which is now kindly made available to us at only the cost of the book or DVD!)

At the risk of oversimplifying its message, the ‘secret’ is the Law of Attraction: that one only needs to mentally and emotionally focus enough on what we want to receive it. So what is the difference between that message and Christ saying, ‘Ask and you shall receive?’ Again, quite a lot actually.

You see, the great blessing of the positive-thinking movement is that it teaches us to positively embrace life and its potential, but the great danger is that it teaches us to focus upon ourselves to find this better life. It is almost like we become gods, if we only focus hard enough then we will solve all our problems and attract only good things to ourselves. Now isn’t the temptation to become ‘like God’ the very oldest temptation (see Genesis 2)?

The Law of Attraction seems to be unbelievably self-concerned with material attractions. Is the sole point of life to become ridiculously wealthy? Is that why we were created – is that the direction we should aim all our thoughts and hopes?

Furthermore, what are we saying about life’s victims such as the victims of the Holocaust? The end result of this positive-thinking teaching is that they suffered so terribly only because they did not have the requisite willpower to ‘think’ themselves out of their terrible situations. Do children die of hunger or disease every day only because they are not positive enough in their outlook?

In stark contrast to this, the Bible teaches us to hope in God rather than ourselves. We are not the end-solution to our problems, rather we are invited into a covenantal relationship with a higher and greater power who is able to transform and change us.

There most certainly is a Law of Attraction in the Bible, but it is not directed to our own selfish agenda and advancement. No, when we capture every thought for Christ we seek to direct our lives towards the areas that God values. So if we think on Christ, then we would attract love and grace and qualities such as the joyful and generous sharing of our emotional and material resources. If we capture our thoughts for Christ we may well become materially poorer rather than wealthier! We may even have to face suffering and hardships, but we will attract to our characters the endless treasures of God’s wealth – life and love and grace.
For it is by directing our thoughts and emotions towards this kind of hope that we are. It is in this way that Christ will not only renovate our minds but also our entire beings.

PRAY AS YOU GO

O Lord, we place all of our hope in you and you alone. We do this by trusting in you and you alone for absolutely everything. We place our loved ones, our careers, our dreams, and our daily lives into your hands. We ask that as you begin your work of renovating our thoughts, so you would also begin to transform our entire beings. Amen.

FOCUS READING

1 Timothy 6: 17-19 MSG

Tell those rich in this world's wealth to quit being so full of themselves and so obsessed with money, which is here today and gone tomorrow. Tell them to go after God, who piles on all the riches we could ever manage—to do good, to be rich in helping others, to be extravagantly generous. If they do that, they'll build a treasury that will last, gaining life that is truly life.

(This week's BDC was written by Rev Gareth Killeen).