“…be ye transformed (changed)
by the [entire] renewal of your mind
[by its new ideals and its new attitudes]…”
Romans 12:2b (Amplified)
The Word of God exhorts us to be transformed into the image of Christ by the renewing of our minds. As revealed in the following famous quotation by Frank Outlaw, Renewing our thoughts outlines that the deepest root to our desired destiny is hinged on our most intimate of thoughts.
Watch your thoughts, for they become words.
Watch your words, for they become actions.
Watch your actions, for they become habits.
Watch your habits, for they become character.
Watch your character, for it becomes your destiny.
~ Frank Outlaw
How do we transform our thoughts to effectively adjust the sails in our lives to reach our desired haven? Jesus said in Matthew 12:34, “…For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks.” According to Jesus, you will speak what you truly believe. With this understanding, I would like to add an additional line to Frank Outlaw’s quotation:
Watch what you believe, for they become your thoughts.
Therefore, the key to fulfilling your calling is the right belief. At the same time, actions indeed follow what you think; what you think is proceeded by what you hold dear at your very core. How well do you recognize your core beliefs? This belief system can be reflected in our homes, our businesses, and our lives.
As professional organizers, we know that in order for our efforts to come to true fruition, in serving and in organizing our clients’ systems, space, etc., there must be life-changing results. It is imperative that our clients believe the principles we teach and demonstrate for them so that these principles and tools will change their minds and change their behaviors forever.
Renewing – This word means to renovate. We are to let God’s Word tear down our long-held false philosophies, attitudes, and actions and renew our beliefs according to the truth. As demolition experts, we teach our clients that they must face their false beliefs and recognize that those beliefs have held them captive. As we shed light and truth, we help our clients renew and rebuild their lives, systems, and spaces that allow them to seek the freedoms they are desperately seeking. I know from personal experience that most clients will not easily adapt or practice this renewed thinking. But for those that understand, well, let’s say, that’s why we do what we do.
Organizing is not an event or a doing activity; it’s a mindset of tearing down long-held thoughts and emotional attachments and recognizing what you want your future to reflect. If what is important to you today should change tomorrow, can you adopt a new lifestyle by letting go of yesterday’s beliefs? Mark 2:22 states, “And no one pours new wine into old wineskins. Otherwise, the wine will burst the skins, and both the wine and the wineskins will be ruined. No, they pour new wine into new wineskins.
The following is taken from my Bible study, Organize His Way: “Understanding that our beliefs control our thinking and that our thinking controls our actions and ultimately our destinies, what does the Bible say about right thinking? God’s Word very clearly says that you must not only be born again but that you must be continually “renewing your mind” (see Eph. 4:22-23). This is not a one-time event but a lifelong process. If you do not change the way you think, you will remain stuck, trapped, stifled, and unable to grow. Old thoughts, like cement, will keep you bound up, preventing you from moving forward to a clear, resilient, and creative way of living. The pursuit of organized life, or even a slightly more organized life, will remain elusive unless our beliefs about change are clear. Solomon offers us a powerful approach to use as we think about change. “For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he” (Prov. 23:7 KJV).”
“There can be no happiness if the things we believe in are different from the things we do.”
—Freya Stark
