Many years ago I had weird bumps popping up on my head. In addition I had a string of sore swellings on my neck. The doctor examined the neck swellings and had no idea what was wrong. I just happened to mention the bumps on my scalp, and as soon as he spread the hairs he said, “Oooh. Now I know what the problem is. You have shingles!” If I were to have shingles I guess the best place is on the roof of my body.
After he discovered the problem he kept touching the spots and saying shingles are not contagious. I was relieved to know what the problem was.
I just happened to tell a church member and like wildfire fear and anxiety spread throughout the church. They said, “Stay away. Don’t even show up on Sunday. We don’t want to catch it! It’s highly contagious!”
A day or two later my eyes were turning pink. This is a sign of dread for contact
lens wearers, because pink-
I finally got to see the doctor and he beamed with joy. “This is so exciting. You are the first person I have seen with shingles on both sides!” He immediately touched the different bumps and said, “They are not contagious.”
That was odd. Two doctors and two groups of people with different responses. Those who believed I had a contagion avoided me. Those who knew better had no fear and put their bare fingers on the bumps. Why the difference?
The truth is … your beliefs determine your behavior. Stated better, your behavior is based on what you believe is true, whether or not the belief is really true.
Consider Nebuchadnezzar, the Babylonian ruler. He was a human being, but for seven years he believed he was an ox. Because he thought he was that animal, he acted like that animal, crawling around on his all fours and eating grass. Prior to this behavior change he believed he was a man and acted like a man. After the seven years he believed he was a man and acted like a man.
Now for the $1,000 question. What behaviors do you exhibit? All of them are based on what you believe is true. God says, For as he thinks within himself, so he is (Pro 23:7).
When a hurricane goes through your life your behavior reveals to others what you believe about God. If you believe God is not capable of handling your situations you will respond accordingly. You will take matters into your own hands. You will then have fears or anger or stress or any of a hundred other problems. However, when you believe in your heart that your Heavenly Father loves you and cares for you and promises He will meet all your needs your behavior will respond accordingly.
One morning I asked a friend, “Hey can I slap you in your face as hard as I can?’ He looked at me stunned. I then asked, “What if I give you a million dollars for every time I slap you, would you let me do it?” He grinned from ear to ear and said, “Slap away!”
What was the difference? The physical pain would have been the same. The difference was what he would have believed. His beliefs determined his behavior.
No one can make you angry. No one can drive you up the proverbial wall or any other kind of wall. Your emotions and your behaviors are based on what you really believe is true.
What do you believe is true about yourself? Do you think there’s no hope for you? Do you think you are fat and ugly? Do you believe you were an accident? Do you believe you have committed a sin so big that not even God could forgive? Do you believe your trials in life are because of your sins? Whatever you believe will produce a behavior that grows out of those beliefs.
Application? Meditate on the words God has given to you. The more you know about
Him, the more you see life for what it really is -
September 19, 2018
What’s in Your Refrigerator?
Most emotional pains come from junk that rots from within
Who am I?
What is your purpose in life?
Why do you exist? Who are you?
How do You View Government?
Some government leaders make wrong decisions? How should we respond?