When you wake up in the morning, what is your first thought?  

“This is going to be a great day.”

“Well, it’s another day.”

“I wonder what will go wrong today.”

For me, it often depends on what time the alarm clock has gone off! (I am not a morning person.) But what we say to ourselves at the beginning of the day and throughout the day can completely affect our attitudes and our behavior.

As humans, we have the ability to control our minds. We can choose the thoughts we dwell on.

 2 Corinthians 10:5 says. “We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ.” 

How can we obey Christ if our thoughts are constantly negative? How can we fulfill His purpose for us if our minds are full of doubt? Negative thinking not only keeps us from living in obedience, but it can lead to adverse physical symptoms and cause anxiety and depression.

Sometimes we are going through such difficult times that it’s hard to remain positive. But at these times more than ever we need to repeat truths to ourselves to keep negative thoughts from sending us into a downward spiral. We can intentionally replace them with positive thoughts and totally change the trajectory of our day! 

My favorite verse to repeat in the morning is Psalm 143:8: “Let the morning bring me word of your unfailing love for I have put my trust in you. Show me the way I should go, for to you I entrust my life.” Psalm 143:8

And there are so many verses we can lean on throughout the day when we need a word of truth.

Psalm 56:3: “When I am afraid, I will trust in you.” 

Psalm 46:1: “God is our refuge and strength.”

Hebrews 10:23: “He who promised is faithful.” 

Matthew 28:20: “Surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”

Find your go-to verse or verses to capture your thoughts and direct them to truth and hope!