Fourteen years ago, Sylvia’s husband died suddenly from a heart attack. He was 42 years old. She was left to raise a young teenage boy. She was heartbroken to the core to find herself alone and a single parent. Moving from Europe to the United States, she and her young son lived with her sister until she got on her feet and eventually landed a good job. They later moved into a condo, and she was able to put her son through college. Today, he’s 31 years old and recently became engaged. Sylvia on the other hand, mourns her husband’s death as if it were yesterday. On the outside, she looks to have it all together; an attractive woman who dresses beautifully without missing a beat. On the inside, she sings a sad song and often says, “I don’t think I’ll ever meet a man like my husband.”

Any single woman that is praying and believing to meet her husband is probably very familiar with the verse in Proverbs 23:7(KJV). It says, “For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he.” This key piece of wisdom God gives us makes a direct correlation between our internal reality and the ultimate outcome we can expect. Heavenly Father tells us that the circumstances we face can be altered by changing our thoughts and feelings. This is the chief reason He tells us in Romans 12:2 that we must not be conformed to the culture and traditions of this world. Instead, we must be changed from the inside out by the renewing of our minds. We must change our attitudes and thoughts.

Conforming to what society says or to the expectations of others is very easy to do. The world loves its own and will support those who think and act as it does. It’s only when we take a stand for ourselves by trusting the Word of God that we witness resistance. We are often targeted and even ridiculed because we dare to trust God through the Lord Jesus Christ. We believe wholeheartedly in a God we cannot see. We do as 2Corinthians 4:18(NIV) says, which is to “fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.”

It is so important for us to understand that sometimes we cling to the past, and the weight of what has been is too heavy to carry into what is to come. Some of us have had relationships with really wonderful men. They were tender, loving, and we thought they’d walk together with us through life. For whatever reason, things do not always work out the way we expect. It isn’t God’s Will for us to continually mourn what could have been. God made a promise to the Children of Israel in Old Testament times, and Heavenly Father was committed to see it fulfilled. But instead of His people looking forward with enthusiasm and joy, they were stuck in grief because Moses, God’s beloved servant, had died. God told Joshua that the time for mourning was over. He told him in Joshua 1 to get ready to cross the Jordan River into the promise land. He then promised that He would be with them, but they had to be strong, courageous, and obedient to His Word to see the promise.

God doesn’t move backwards, not ever. Everything with Him is forward and upward. If we are not continually reaching forward and upward in our thoughts and attitudes, life will leave us behind; it will not wait for us to catch up. God told His people in Joshua 1:7(NIV), “Be careful to obey all the law my servant Moses gave you; do not turn from it to the right or to the left, that you may be successful wherever you go.” God’s Word is powerful! He tells us that we should never deviate from the script, not to the left or right, but always stay on target with it so that everything we touch is successful.

Are we going to have upsets and disappointments in life? Yes, and some of them are incredibly painful, but we can’t allow ourselves to be stuck in thoughts of what could or should have been. I encourage you to confess your way out of this kind of mindset. Remaining stuck in the same gear is like quicksand, keeping us moving at a snail’s pace to the promises of God that should be manifesting in our lives.

There’s no question that we are witnessing challenging and turbulent times, but Jesus Christ did not leave us in the dark about it. He warned that life would not always be easy, and he also told us not to focus on the darkness of the times. Our minds must be stayed on him. And our perception must change to the point of understanding that we don’t control anything. Everything is in God’s hands. He will take care of those we’ve lost, and He will mend any brokenness if we trust Him. Only He can make our crooked paths straight. So, let’s change our thoughts to be in line with the goodness of His promises. When we do, He will reward our commitment to trust Him by shifting our reality so that it matches His plan for our lives. ■

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“Change Your Perception and Your Reality Will Follow” written by Kim Times, edited by Reverend Fran Mack, for Sundie Morning Sistas ©2019.   All rights reserved. All done to the glory of God through Jesus Christ, our Lord! SMS is dedicated to inspiring and encouraging Christian Women through the Word of God.