I was all out of sorts. I wasn't sleeping well, my lower back was cranky, my neck was sore, and I felt like a turtle with my head stuck in tensed-up shoulders. Uncomfortable is an understatement.  But that's what 5 days in the car will do to you.

We had a wonderful time vacationing with friends but the road trip there and back was causing me to question my decision-making. Should we just have flown to Nashville and not driven there from Denver? I mean was 20 hours in the car - each way - worth it?

After that long haul, we all knew what we needed, the chiropractor. We just needed to be adjusted and realigned back to normal.  

Our bodies are amazing creations, it tells us when things are out of whack. And if we listen then we can get the treatment we need.

Our soul (mind, will, and emotions) are the same way, if we know our normal then when thoughts or emotions surface that are off, we can discern it and do something about it.

I'm pretty good at connecting the dots, seeing patterns and themes, so when more than half of my clients were dealing with thoughts and emotions that weren't their "normal" I knew I needed to write about it.

Here's what I know to be true.

God wants to realign our souls. He wants to make us more like Christ. 

But, we have to partner with Him to do it

1) Know the truth. In order to know something is off, we first need to know what to measure it against. We can't base our normal on our bad habits, we need to compare them to Kingdom habits.

Philippians 4:8 gives us the test, "whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things."

2) Recognize it. When we know the truth, then it becomes easier to recognize when something is off. When our thoughts don't line up with this Phil 4:8 test, then we need to call it out. Because when we name it, then we can do something about it.

3) Renew it. Recognition isn't enough, we need to replace it with something. Romans 12:2 tells us, "Do not conform to the pattern of this world but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will."

Renewing means, we have to replace the old with the new. We have to replace the thoughts that lie to us with those that are true. We renew our minds by learning (and living by) God's truth.

4) Support it. We can't do it alone, while we're in the process of being renewed by God, we need accountability. Who can you bring in to support you? Whether it's a friend, family member, or coach. You need someone who isn't going to judge you in your process, but partner with God in it.

Just like we may need a chiropractic adjustment when things are out of whack in our body; we also need an adjustment in our minds when our thoughts are not in alignment with God's thoughts.

Have your thoughts felt out of whack? Let me pray for you today.

Father God, I thank You that Your desire is for us to be more like Christ and I give you praise for how You partner with us to make it happen. May we be open to receive your correction when our thoughts do not align with yours and we ask that you help us recognize it. God, I declare you are renewing our minds, you are replacing our bad thought habits with kingdom habits. Thank you for your nudging to adjust when needed and reveal to us who can help hold us accountable while we work on it.  Amen!

Did this encourage you? Let me know.

Blessings to you.

~ Cherlyn

P.S. If you'd like to leverage coaching to support you in your thought journey, let me know. Each week my clients face off the thoughts and beliefs which get in the way so they can move forward. Email me or message me over social media, and let’s see if working with me is a good fit for you.