Reset

Bonnie Sala: Pressure doesn't create our thoughts; it just turns the volume up on them. I'm Bonnie Sala with Reset. A young nurse shared that she never realized how anxious she was until her hospital went short-staffed. "It was like the volume knob on my thoughts suddenly went to high," she shared. "Every insecurity and old belief about not being enough came roaring back."

When the pressures of life press in, what's inside of us is squeezed out. And without something that the Bible calls renewing our minds, we panic and old patterns kick in. The Bible doesn't tell us to try harder. It says, "Letting your sinful nature control your mind leads to death, but letting God's Spirit control your mind leads to life and peace. Let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think."

When we replace our thoughts with God's, God's Spirit uses those words to change us. Here's what this can look like: replacing "I'm overwhelmed" with "The Lord is my strength" from the Bible book of Psalms; answering "I'm alone in this" with "Jesus will never leave me" from the book of Hebrews; and challenging "I can't handle this" with "I can do all things through Jesus" found in the book of Philippians.

Renewing your mind isn't pretending everything is fine. It's choosing which voice will shape you when everything is not fine. Sometimes it feels like sweeping a floor that gets dirty every day, and that's okay. Over time, you'll begin to recognize old lies faster and replace them sooner.

If you feel pressed today, don't shame yourself. Pause and ask, "What thought am I believing right now? And what is true according to God's Word?" God renews minds one thought at a time. I'm Bonnie Sala. Ready to grow your faith? Discover practical tools and more at guidelines.org.