Disciplines of a Godly Man by R. Kent Hughes Below is a synopsis from our group discussion on Ch. 6 Discipline of Mind To return to the discussion page, simply close this window. This chapter hit home from the stand point that most of our life is defined from how we "see" or "view" the world in our own mind. It is our choice of if we "choose" to turn things over to God. How do we then "choose" to have a thought program which will produce a "Christian" mind? One key to creating this Christian mind set is to have that support group. We need to surround ourselves with Godly men who will walk with us in our daily lives. An analogy was shared that I believe was from Charles Swindoll comparing our life to that of a boat on the open ocean. When the "storms" hit, it is important that we do not take on water as that will eventually lead to our ship sinking. If we take on the "storms" of the world, our "ship" (soul, personal being) will sink. Like pulling a weed, we need to remove not just the weed but its' root. As we take on more water, the weeds will be watered and grow. This is where our support group can be so crucial to keeping us on our walk and on the narrow path. How do we get our minds into focusing on the specifics? As men, we have to overcome our sense of Pride. All too often, pride will prevent us from seeking the help we may need or admitting to our weaknesses. We need to work on changing our mind set and focus on the fact that no matter what the world may say, God is in control. In due time, he will take care of everything. When we turn it all over to God, that is when Satan is most likely to attack us. If we are not in the presence of other Godly men, we can easily be taken off track. Think of it as looking at the rails a train rides along. If we separate them by only a fraction of an inch, we may not see any consequences. Over time as the tracks continue along, that slight difference will eventually become so great that the train will derail. Like the train, if we allow the small things that we "think" we can control into our lives, we are sure to "derail." At times we get wrapped up in the world and what others think is important and not important. God knows our heart no matter our actions. We have to change our thought process from an "I" thing to a "God" thing. Being a Christian takes training, devotion, etc. We will never be perfect so we need to be the best we can be through learning, dedication, etc. and simply being involved in a Godly, Christian support group. How we can "fight" these addictions in our life is to know the word and use the word. We do this by studying the word. We study the word by getting into the word. This should be done daily and with conviction. We need to create the mind set to do what God wants us to do. We need to be happy in what God wants for us...in what God has us doing.We never know exactly what God has in store for us and should embrace what God gives us. If we are open to God, we will come through the "storm" and be better than we were before the storm hit. How often have we heard of the person who lost their job only to find a better job? The person who suffered a loss only to find peace in a different area of their life? We need to pray to God on a regular basis and take time to stop and "listen" for God. Be in the word and listen to the small quiet voice as much as we listen to the obvious, loud voices. We need to be open to the "message." Using a paraphrase from the movie "Facing the Giants," we need to prepare our fields for when the rain comes!