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The First 7 Minutes of Each Day (Gospel Snapshots) Here is something practical I’ve learned through trial and error (mostly error). My undergraduate major, before law school, was in psychology, so I’ve done a lot of study in psychology. Much psychology is not sound, but much of it is sound: practical ways to make life work. Psychology tells us that our lives are largely formed within the first 7 YEARS we are alive. By then, most of our fears, guilt, courage, attitudes, and sense of world view have been formed. This is true of both negative and positive things. I have learned this also applies to the first 7 MINUTES that we are awake in the morning. Within 7 minutes, our day has often been largely formed. Many times we wake up worried over some event we must face, or concerned over something we did that we shouldn’t have done —or something we didn’t do we should have done. We often experience negative thoughts, stress, anxiety, worry, fear, and other things in the first 7 minutes. If we do begin our day here, this state of mind often stays with us all day. Today, I’ve learned to take control of my day even before I get out of bed. I begin thinking how much God loves me. I think about his grace, and my imparted righteousness in him. I think about the peace and joy he gives us. I praise him for my wife Eileen, and our daughters Lisa and Shawn, and Lisa’s husband Steve, and our two new grandkids, Shiloh and Landon. I worship God for our health, and our wealth of friends, and for the ever-growing revelation of his gospel inside me. I acknowledge that, no matter where I go — there HE is! He’s always with me, living through me. Sometimes I keep a list of scriptures handy to use the very first thing. But here’s the point: I begin my day — the first 7 minutes — in a very positive, spiritual way. I know if I don’t do this, something negative can easily sneak into my thoughts. Now DON’T get legalistic about this! There is nothing magic about ‘7 minutes.’ The time isn’t important. What is important is what you do with your thoughts the very first moments you are awake. Then we are less guarded, and anything can get into our minds. As a lawyer, I’ve counseled countless people controlled by negative thoughts they can’t get victory over. Thus they are victims of life — not victors in life. Here is the choice: take control of each day — early in the day — or the day will take control over you. We need to ’reign’ in life, as Paul says in Romans 5:17. If we don’t reign in life, then life rains havoc on us. Paul says we should “Take every thought captive to the obedience of Christ.” This is one way to do this: think about the obedience of Jesus on your behalf, and all the free things that are yours because of it (I Cor 2:12). The first minutes of each day should be worshipping God for all that is ours in Christ. If you’re not sure what all these things are, keep reading GOSPEL SNAPSHOTS.
This article was posted on March 06, 2006
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