Spiritual Transformation By the Renewing of Your Mind

by William Pena MBA, CCHt, CNLP, CEFT

Rom 12:2
2 Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by
the renewing of your mind .
NIV
The bible talks about a spiritual transformation that happens to us when we
renew our mind. Meaning, that when we decide to think differently, it creates an
inner transformation that causes us to act differently (aka repentance).
You would think that when we became Christians we are immediately spiritual in
every way...But alas, this is far from the truth.
Heb 10:14
14 because by one sacrifice he has made perfect forever those who are being
made holy.
NIV
The bible says that though we are perfect in the eyes of God, and have had our
sins forgiven, he is still at work in our lives to help make us holy.
His goal is that while on earth we can all become more and more like Jesus
internally, so that we can reflect his glory externally. As the bible says:
Eph 4:13
13 until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God
and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ. NIV
The Spiritual Battle
The challenge starts when we become disciples, that though we have made the
decision to wholeheartedly surrender our lives to Jesus' Lordship, there is a part
of us, an internal part, that is still conditioned to want the things of the world.
It is as if there are 2 people inside of us, one striving to please and
wholeheartedly obey God, and another that is striving to please and
wholeheartedly obey the desires of our sinful nature. Like Paul said:
Rom 7:21-24
21 So I find this law at work: When I want to do good, evil is right there with me.
22 For in my inner being I delight in God's law; 23 but I see another law at work in
the members of my body, waging war against the law of my mind and making
me a prisoner of the law of sin at work within my members.
NIV
Like a spiritual tug-of-war waging inside of us, sometimes the spiritual side of us
wins, but unfortunately, at other times the sinful side of us wins. And, it is a battle
that continues to wage throughout our Christian walk.
Fast forward 5, 10 or 20 years. Though our knowledge, faith, habits, routine, etc.
have become more religious, the battle continues to wage inside of
us. Why? Because though the outer man still desires to please God and do
right, the inner man, if left unchanged, still desires, in the deepest part of us, to
fulfill the desires of our sinful nature.
The result is that outwardly we live religious lives, but inwardly, we do not
grow. The internal battle between these 2 masters eventually overtakes us,
overwhelms us, and tires us out leading us to forsake our first love and accept a
lukewarm lifestyle.
Rev 2:4-5
4 Yet I hold this against you: You have forsaken your first love. 5 Remember the
height from which you have fallen! Repent and do the things you did at first. If
you do not repent, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place.
NIV
...Ultimately, our lukewarmness keeps us from pleasing God.
Rev 3:14-16
14 "To the angel of the church in Laodicea write:
These are the words of the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the ruler of God's
creation. 15 I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you
were either one or the other! 16 So, because you are lukewarm neither hot nor
cold I am about to spit you out of my mouth.
NIV

The Cause of Our Struggle
So what causes us to go through a spiritual roller coaster: going from a strong
spiritual desire to please God to a life of lukewarmness?
It is because all those years we spent living according to the ways of this world
has influenced us so deeply, it becomes a curse that daily fights against our
pure desire to live wholehearted and passionate lives for God.
Let me explain
Living in an ungodly world, we are exposed to an environment filled with an
overwhelming amount of ungodly views, opinions, ideas, images, beliefs,
experiences, etc. that we are bombarded with every day. These worldly views
and ideas enter our minds throughout our lives, whether through our parents,
friends, community, the media, etc., and influence the way we think.
Ultimately, we live with these influences for so long that they become firmly
embedded beliefs that we take into the deepest parts of our hearts; and which
we keep for the rest of our life.
Like Jesus said:
Luke 6:45
45 The good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and
the evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart. For out of the
overflow of his heart his mouth speaks. NIV
These negative, worldly and ungodly beliefs ultimately influence us mentally,
emotionally, and physically, because these three parts of us are so
interconnected. And we live with these thoughts and feelings for so long that
they become deeply programmed into our lives; creating a vicious cycle where
each one continually affects all of the others.
For example, if you grew up believing that how you feel about yourself is based
on your performance, then you will spend the rest of your life trying to live up to
really high standards for yourself. It ultimately turns you into a perfectionist,
always worried that things turn out right, or the way you think they should be.
Unfortunately, because most things are out of your control it begins to frustrate
and disappoint you whenever you cant meet your own standards. Then anxiety
and stress set in, and maybe even discouragement or depression. Ultimately, it
begins to affect you physically, causing migraines, back aches, and in worst
cases, cancer.
Fast forward to our conversion. We make the decision to make Jesus Lord, and
freely choose God's direction for our life; and we are excited for our future. But
what happens to all those worldly beliefs, feelings, influences, etc. that were so
deeply imbedded in our hearts? Nothing. They continue to live inside of us.
Eventually a situation is created where our mind is divided in two parts: an outer
man that wants to do what pleases God, and an inner one that wants to
continue to follow the old way of thinking. Each one has its own identity, and its
own sets of values, beliefs, and behaviors. And each wants to dominate the
other.

The Conscious and Subconscious Mind
One way to look at it is like imagining that our mind was split into 2 parts: a
conscious mind and a subconscious mind.
The conscious mind is the part of us that we are consciously aware of. With it
we make decisions, analyze the pros and cons of a situation, decide to obey
God, etc.
The subconscious mind is the part of us that we are unaware of, that stores
memories, runs your body, manages emotions, processes information, and
manages everything else in your life.
The conscious mind works in the front, directing where your life will go, and the
subconscious mind works in the background, making sure that things are
running the way they are supposed to.
The Captain and the Crew
It is almost like the relationship between a captain and his crew.
If the conscious mind is the Captain, then the subconscious mind is the crew.
The captain barks out the commands and the crew carries them out (even when
the captain is not paying attention).
The Internal Conflict
Now imagine what would happen if the Captain barks out a command and the
crew decide to do their own thing. Meaning, the Captain wants to go one way,
and the crew has their own agenda on where they want to go. There is a name
for this, its called mutiny.
And this mutiny is similar to the battle that wages inside of our hearts and minds.
Meaning, a part of us becomes a disciple and wants to do what is right
(conscious mind), and another part of us still holds onto to hundreds and
thousands of our old worldly beliefs, desires, etc.; and wants to do what is wrong
(subconscious mind).
This is similar to what Paul said:
Rom 7:14-16
15 I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I
hate I do.
NIV
This is an internal struggle that many of us can relate to. We feel like we know
what to do in our head, but our hearts do not want to do it. We know we should
have faith and trust God, but our hearts does not feel so convinced. Or we know
we should stay away from sin, but our hearts want to run toward it.
On different occasions one wins out, and many times its not the one that we
want that wins. Then we begin to wonder why we cannot get control of our lives
and live the lives that both we and God want for ourselves. Worst, we get
discouraged because we don't ever believe that we can ever get control of it.
Ultimately, we end up making excuses for our behavior saying things like, "I
guess I will always be this way," or "I guess, like Paul, this is my thorn in my
flesh." Or worst yet, we just accept it, and settle for a lukewarm life, that just
brings us a whole lot of guilt, and brings no glory to God.

Being Transformed by the Renewing of Our Mind
Then what are we to do to overcome this internal battle that constantly wages
inside of us? We need to be transformed by the renewing of our mind. As Paul
said:
Rom 12:2
2 Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by
the renewing of your mind.
NIV
The mistake we make as Christians is that we spend so much time trying to
renew our conscious mind, but we spend very little time renewing our
subconscious mind.
It is very similar to the Titanic and an Iceberg. We think we can evade the
problem by just dealing with what's on the surface, but there is a massive
amount of issues and worldly beliefs below the surface, that if not resolved, will
eventually shipwreck our faith.
Even God through the scriptures challenged us to focus our efforts on the internal
cleaning of our hearts:
Matt 23:25-26
25 "Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You clean
the outside of the cup and dish, but inside they are full of greed and self-
indulgence. 26 Blind Pharisee ! First clean the inside of the cup and dish, and
then the outside also will be clean. NIV
2 Cor 7:1
7:1 Since we have these promises, dear friends, let us purify ourselves from
everything that contaminates body and spirit, perfecting holiness out of
reverence for God.
NIV
Heb 12:14-15
14 Make every effort to live in peace with all men and to be holy; without
holiness no one will see the Lord.
NIV
Holiness is defined as: the state or quality of being like God. And God is holy in
every aspect of his being: mind, heart, body, etc., and we are called to be the
same:
Eph 3:19
19 and to know this love that surpasses knowledge that you may be filled to
the measure of all the fullness of God.
NIV

The Best Tool for the Job
Because God commands and expects internal transformation it only makes
sense that he has provided us with the tools to help us do this.
And just like a carpenter or mechanic needs the right tools to do his job, so God
has provided us with a great amount of tools that we can use to help us to
create inner transformation in our lives.
Besides the standard issue tools that he provides us like His Word, Prayer, the
Holy Spirit, Trials and hardships, etc., he equips us with the most powerful tool at
our disposal for radical change in our lives internally. And that is our mind:
Rom 12:2
2 Do not conform any longer 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. NIV
Here God tells us that the renewing of our minds leads to the transformation of
our lives.
Eph 4:22-24
22 You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self,
which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; 23 to be made new in the
attitude of your minds; 24 and to put on the new self, created to be like God in
true righteousness and holiness. NIV
In the bible it says that our original conversion was made possible by first
changing our mind.
2 Cor 7:1
7:1 Since we have these promises, dear friends, let us purify ourselves from
everything that contaminates body and spirit, perfecting holiness out of
reverence for God. NIV
The bible also says that by purifying what contaminates our spirits (i.e.: our
unspiritual thoughts, beliefs, ideas, etc.) we will become more and more holy.
Rom 8:6
6 The mind of sinful man is death, but the mind controlled by the Spirit is life and
peace;NIV
Here the bible says that when we allow our minds to be controlled by the Spirit it
leads to a godly life and peace.
Phil 4:8-9
8 Finally, brothers, 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. 9 Whatever you have
learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me put it into practice. And
the God of peace will be with you. NIV
God commands us to only allow thoughts that are true, noble, right, pure, lovely,
admirable, excellent and praiseworthy in our minds, and by doing so it will lead
to a life that is pleasing to him.
Luke 6:45
45 The good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and
the evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart. For out of the
overflow of his heart his mouth speaks. NIV
The bible says that if we fill our minds and hearts with good or evil we will
produce it in our lives.
Prov 27:19
19 As water reflects a face, so a man's heart reflects the man. NIV
The bible also say that what we carry in our hearts and minds will determine
what we reflect in our lives.
Col 3:1-4
3:1 Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things
above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. 2 Set your minds on
things above, not on earthly things. 3 For you died, and your life is now hidden
with Christ in God. 4 When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will
appear with him in glory. NIV
By setting our minds on things above (spiritual things) we become more and
more spiritual.
2 Cor 10:5-6
5 We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the
knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to
Christ. NIV
By taking every thought captive and turning them into spiritual, godly thoughts
that are pleasing to God, we become more and more like Jesus.
2 Cor 4:18
18 So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen . For what is
seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal. NIV
By fixing our eyes (our minds and hearts) on spiritual things, we take on Gods
perspective on life, and become more spiritual.
1 Peter 1:13
13 Therefore, prepare your minds for action; be self-controlled; set your hope
fully on the grace to be given you when Jesus Christ is revealed. NIV
Only by training our minds and preparing it for action will we be able to create
internal transformation in our lives that brings glory to God.

God's Expectation of Us
You see, God doesnt just want us to sit on the side-lines, reading our bible,
praying and just hoping that this spiritual inner transformation will happen on its
own. On the contrary, Paul was the best example of a man determined to train
his mind, so that he could become more like Christ. It was he that said:
2 Cor 10:5
5 We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the
knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to
Christ.
NIV
Or, like Jesus said to the religious leaders of his day:
Matt 23:26
26 Blind Pharisee! First clean the inside of the cup and dish, and then the outside
also will be clean.
NIV
Therefore only by utilizing whatever means necessary to begin renewing our
minds, both on the inside and on the outside, can we begin to experience the
spiritual transformation that will result in an overwhelming glory for God.
So how do we begin this inner transformation that will lead us to bring glory to
God both inside and outside?
I want to introduce you to the Spiritual Breakthrough Mind Training Exercises for
Transformation









Spiritual Mind Training Exercises
Here are some mind training exercises we can use to help train our minds, and
help transform ourselves and others internally, so that we can glorify God both
on the inside as well as the outside.
Exercises for training your mind Internal transformation:
1. Spiritual Mind Change (Reframe) Exercise
Sometimes by just putting something in a different perspective, it changes its
meaning, and ultimately the way we feel about it. Explore ways to see your
situation from different perspectives, (like different camera views in a movie)
and see if it changes how you feel about it.
2. Changing Your Spiritual Perspective Position Exercise
Sometimes putting yourself in someone elses shoes can give you a different
perspective on a situation. Imagine putting yourself in Gods shoes or Jesuss
shoes and then see your situation from their eyes. Or imagine being one of the
spiritual men or women of the bible and see your situation from their
perspective.
For example, put yourself in Gods shoes and ask yourself, If I was God, what
advice would I give <my name> about this situation.
Note: You can also put yourself in Satans shoes to better understand how he is
working in our lives to take us away from God.
3. Using Metaphors for Spiritual Mind Change Exercise
Sometimes creating a story or an analogy of a situation can better help us see it
from Gods perspective. Whats great about this is that it changes how we see
things on a deep, heart level.
Find or create a story or analogy as similar to your situation as you can, and as
intense as the change you want to see in your life (i.e.: bible stories). Keep
trying different stories and analogies until you see the situation from a more
spiritual perspective. Ask others for metaphors, stories or analogies they use,
and that help them.
Collect these metaphors, stories and analogies to use when you need them.

4. Interrupting the Unspiritual Thinking Patterns Exercise
Our minds are so trained to think a certain way that it seems like it happens at
lightning speed. The truth is that, like a computer, our mind goes through many
steps to get to a particular conclusion or feeling. Sometimes if you can interrupt
that "program" from running, it will never get to its conclusion or feeling.
A good exercise will be to put a rubber band around your wrist. Every time you
begin to feel something you don't want to feel, or be tempted with something;
snap the rubber band as hard as you can on your wrist. After a while your brain
will run a different program to avoid the pain, and ultimately result in providing
you with a more spiritual conclusion or feeling.
Note: You dont have to use a rubber band. Just doing something sudden or
different can have the same effect (i.e.: do the chicken dance if you want to).
5. Editing the Movie in Your Mind Exercise
Let's face it, we all run movies in our heads of everything that happens to
us. Some of us run adventure movies; others run comedies, and other run horror
movies, even impure movies. And just like you feel different emotions when you
see a movie in the theater or on television, we are affected emotionally by the
movies we run in our heads too.
The good thing is you can edit the movie in your mind and by doing so, you can
immediately feel differently about the situation.
Next time your run a negative or unspiritual movie in your head, try editing the
movie to see how you feel about it.
Is it in color? Change it to black and white.
Is it in HD (clear)? Change it to blurry.
Is it in a frame or panoramic? Change it to its opposite.
Are you in the movie? Step out of it.
Is the screen large? Make it small.
Do you feel like you are sitting in the front row as you watch it? Move to
the back row (or 100 rows back).
Is it close by? Make it far away.
You will be amazed at how much you change how you feel, just by editing your
movie in this way.

6. Reprogramming Your Thoughts Exercise
Did you know that you can automate what you think? Well, you can. If you are
having thoughts you would rather not have, change the way your mind picks
the thoughts to put in your mind. Like a jukebox, you can pre-select the
thoughts you want to have and your brain will just run them.
With this exercise, consider what the trigger is that leads to your unwanted and
unspiritual thoughts. Is it a particular place, smell, taste, or thought that triggers
your unwanted images or ideas? Whatever the trigger is, imagine something
else you would rather be thinking, than the unwanted thought.
For example, when you are at the beach, I'm sure you would just like to think of
having fun (versus the other unrighteous things that our minds like to look and
think about). You can train your mind to automatically think "fun" when it thinks
of the beach. This is how it works:
1. Imagine a big blank picture screen in your mind.
2. Now imagine a smaller screen on the bottom right hand corner.
3. The little screen on the bottom right hand corner will play an image of
what you want to think (i.e.: a scene of you having fun at the beach).
4. Now imagine the big picture screen fills with the image of being at the
beach.
5. Now, immediately imagine the small screen on the bottom right hand
corner blowing up and taking up the whole screen, replacing the first
image.
6. You can even make a Swoosh! or a Vrooom! sound as you do it.
7. Do it about 5, 10 or 20 times.
8. At the end, try to think of the beach, and you will notice that you
immediately think of having fun.






7. Desire/Belief/Meaning Change Exercise (Most Powerful Exercise for Meaning
Change Very useful for Overcoming Temptation and Sin)
Identify the underlying ungodly belief driving unspiritual behavior and desires:
1. What is something you are being tempted with?
2. On a scale of 1 - 10 how tempting is this for you?
3. Why is fulfilling this desire so important to you?
4. What does fulfilling this desire mean to you?
5. Were you always tempted by this thing? When you were 4 or 5 years old
was this a temptation for you? Why not?
Ask these questions to invalidate the unspiritual meaning, and drain it of its
power and meaning (Invalidate Belief)
1. When did you decide to believe that <this temptation> meant _____ for
you?
2. Is it true that this temptation or sin means ________? Why not?
3. How much is this belief really serving you in your life right now?
4. By holding onto this belief, what has it cost you? What is it costing you right
now? What will it cost you in the future?
5. If you continue believing this, what would the rest of your life look like? Is
that what you want for your life?
6. Can you continue believing this belief and live the life you really
want? Why not?
7. At what age did you decide to believe this belief was true? Since you are
still holding onto this belief, how does it feel to know that you are living
your life based on the conviction of a ____ year old? What will your life
look like if you continue to base your life on the conviction of a ____ year
old?
8. Where did you learn that this fulfilling this desire meant ________? Why are
they not the most credible people? Do you want your life to turn out like
theirs? If you continue to believe this, how similar to their life will your life
turn out? Are they the most reliable sources to help you please God, and
help you get to heaven? Why not?
9. Where did the people who gave you this advice learn it from? Are their
sources the most credible sources for you to please God and make it to
heaven? Why not?
10. Why does Satan want you to continue to believe this? What does he
ultimately want for your life? How is he using this belief to keep you from
pleasing God and making it to heaven?
11. How effective is Satan's plan to get you to accept this belief at such a
young age? Why? How is his plan working in your life? How does it feel
that you are helping Satan's plan at hurting God?
12. If this belief were true how do you explain <give counterexample>? Or,
what about <counterexample>, why doesn't this match up to your belief?
13. How useful will you be to God if you continue to believe this? How would
you be more useful to God, if you did not have this belief?
14. If you were God, what would you think about this belief? What would you
think about the fact that <your name> believes this? If you were God, and
you were having a sit down talk with <your name>, what would you tell
<your name> about this belief?
15. If you continue living by this deceitful belief for the next 20 years, what
kind of collateral damage will it have on your life? How will it affect the
people you love? What will happen to your relationships with the people
you love? What will happen with your relationship with God? How will you
feel about yourself? What regrets are you going to have?
Instill a more spiritual and resourceful belief
1. What is a better and more spiritual belief that God would want you to have
in this situation? (Use scripture if you can).
2. How can this new belief more benefit your life?
3. What will your life look like if you live by this new belief for the next 20
years of your life? How will it affect the people you love? How will it
impact your relationship with God? How will you feel about yourself?
4. Once you accept this new belief and your life transforms, what kind of
impact will you have in the lives of others?
5. And after 20 years of getting all the benefits of this new belief, when you
look back on your life, what will you think about the decision you are
making today to get rid of the old belief?
Now on a scale of 1 - 10, how tempting is this sin for you?
If you look at a time in the future when you would've been tempted by
something like this, how will you respond to it now?
Homework
Whenever another temptation comes up, go through these questions to
invalidate old belief and instill a new spiritual belief.
Over a period of time you will transform your life from the inside out and become
holy.


8. Eraser Technique (a.k.a. Movie-Rewind Pattern)
This exercise is useful for taking out the negative emotional charge of an old
painful memory. It will help with memories of previous hurts caused by others, or
other difficult situations.
It is also very effective for traumatic experiences, yet it is best done with the help
of a professional counselor for working with trauma.
1. Pick a memory that bothers you emotionally.
2. Ask yourself how intense the emotion is from scale of 1-10.
3. Imagine yourself in a movie theater with a giant movie screen in front of
you and you are going to watch the movie of this negative memory for
the last time.
4. Imagine yourself sitting comfortably in a chair in the last row in the theatre.
5. Then on the screen of your mind, put a black-and white picture on the
screen of the younger you in the situation fifteen minutes or so before the
emotionally negative events occurred.
6. Now imagine floating out of your body from the last row that you are
sitting in and floating back to the Projection Booth. Float all the way out of
your body and into the Control Room until you can feel your hands on the
plexi-glass window so that you can look out and see the back of your
head facing the screen.
7. Now when you are ready, from the Projection Booth, you can turn on the
movie and let it move from the initial snapshot. Let it now play out as a
black-and-white movie. And watch it from a double-perspective from
the audience and from the projection booth. Watch it from the beginning
to the end.
8. When you have let it play out beyond the unpleasant experience, play if a
bit further. Play it to a later time, after the bad scene disappears, and see
that Younger You in a time and place of safety and even pleasure.
9. Now, rewind this memory movie in fast rewind mode. As you have seen
movies or videos run backwards so you will rewind the movie backwards
at a very high speed rewind, so fast that it will only take two seconds2
seconds! But this time you will be inside the movie when you rewind it.
10. Open your eyes to break the state and then close your eyes to start again.
11. Now, immediately go to the scene of comfort and pleasure at the end
again, and as soon as you step it, feel, see, and hear it fully . . . rewind the
movie even faster.
12. Do this 5 times. As you do this over and over your brain will become more
and more proficient and the rewind will go faster and faster until the
rewind takes only a second each time. Zoommmm!
13. Test by asking how intense the emotion is now, from scale of 1-10.

9. Spiritual Coaching Exercise (Coach vs Judge)
This exercise is used to get yourself or someone else in the right, positive and
spiritual state of mind to make internal changes.
It is based on the idea that you can either be the:
Judge condemn yourself for your behavior, mistakes, errors, etc. or the
Coach build yourself up and give yourself the courage to not give up,
and overcome this challenge.
Spiritual Coaching Exercise
1. Consider a situation that is difficult for you right now.
2. On a scale of 1 10, how emotionally challenging is this situation to you?
Write it down.
3. Ask yourself, this question: Why is this situation the best thing that couldve
ever happen to me? Or, Why is this situation such a positive experience for
me? Or What great opportunities does this situation open up for me?
4. Take time to come up with 5 10 reasons why this situation will benefit you:
Here are a few examples:
It will help me depend on God more.
It will make me stronger.
It will build my character.
It will help me be more compassionate toward others who struggle
through this.
It will help me realize that I am not my struggles.
It will help me learn more about myself.
It will help me learn how to overcome difficult situations.
It will help me be an example of faith for others.
God can show his power through this.
5. On a scale of 1 10, how emotionally challenging is this situation now?
6. If not resolved, you are now in a great positive state to begin using the other
exercises in this manual to help you overcome this challenging situation even
more.

10. Spiritual Belief Questioning Exercise
The questions we ask ourselves, generally, determine how we see and feel
about a situation. The better the questions, the better we feel about a
situation. Having a set of questions to ask yourself that forces you to see things
from a spiritual perspective, helps you to change how you feel about it. The best
part is that it works on a deep heart level, and has long-lasting results.
Below are set of spiritual questions you can ask yourself when you go through
challenging situations in your life. The key is to layer question upon question,
until you are able to see the situation from a more spiritual perspective.

Questions to Change Your Perspective
When going through a difficult situation answer as many of these questions as
you can. You can also ask these of others who are going through challenging
times.

1. Focus on God's intention - What do you think is God's purpose in allowing you
to go through this situation?

2. Redefine the problem into spiritual language. - How does God define this issue
that I am going through? (I.e.: problem = light and momentary troubles).

3. Positive outcomes - What are the positive, spiritual things that are happening
because of this situation that I may not see? (I.e. Lose my job = spend more time
with God and family, etc.).

4. Resizing - How specifically does this problem affect you? (In other words, is it
really affecting your whole, entire life and the universe, or a very small part of
your life?).

5. Big Picture - If you were to put yourself in God's shoes, what would he think of
your situation?

6. Eternal view - Compared to being in heaven for eternity, when you think of
your problem, how bad is it really?

7. Positive Lessons - What are some positive lessons you can learn from this
situation that will make your life better?

8. Reverent Submission - How do you think God is using this situation for your
good?

9. Opportunity - What are some opportunities that this situation has created (or
opened up) for you?

10. Appreciation - What has this situation helped you appreciate more? (I.e.:
cancer helps me appreciate the full life I have lived and the people I love.)

11. Gratitude - What are some other things you can be grateful for, in spite of this
situation? (I.e.: Though I am sick, I still have God, heaven, my family, etc.).

12. Example - What are some other examples (biblical examples) of people in
similar circumstances, but who were able to overcome?

13. Metaphor/Analogy - What analogy or story can you think of that will help
you see things from a more godly perspective?

14. Importance - How important is this situation really, when you think of all of
the important things in your life? (Relationship w God, Family, Health, etc.).

15. Character Development - How will this situation strengthen you and make
into an even stronger, spiritual person? (James 1:3-4, Rom 5:3)

16. Service for Others - By going through this, and overcoming, how can you
now relate, help and comfort others who are going through similar things? (2 Cor
1:3-7)

17. God's Lessons - What do you think God is trying to teach you through this
situation? (Heb 12:7)

18. Compare to others in worst conditions - If you compare yourself to others that
really have it bad, how do you feel? (Or how much better do you have it?).

19. Its Only Your Way of Seeing It - What are some different ways you can see
this situation?

20. Other Outcomes - What other positive outcomes is this situation creating that
you may not see? (I.e.: Helping others, encouraging others, helping others come
to God, etc.).

21. Strength in Weakness - The bible says we are spiritually stronger when we are
weaker; so if you feel really weak right now, what does that mean about you? (1
Cor 12:7-10)

22. Dependence on God - How is God using this situation to get you to trust in
him more? (2 Cor 1: 8-9)

23. God's Glory - How do you think God is using this situation to gain glory for
himself? (John 11:4)

24. God's Work/Miracles - How is God using this situation to show his
work/miracles in your life? (John 9:3)

25. Purifying our Hearts - How is God using this situation to purify your heart,
refine your faith, and help you make it to heaven? (Dt 8:2)(1 Peter 1:7)

26. Positive Consequences - How earth-shattering are the consequences of this
situation really?

27.Possibilities - What could be some good possibilities that could happen with
this situation?

28. Gods Advice - If you were God, what would you tell <your name>, to
encourage him/her through this situation?

29. God is big - If you were to see God as big as he really is, and your problem
as really, really, small as it really is compared to him, how would you feel about
your situation?

30. 10,000 years in Heaven - After being in heaven for 10,000 years, how
important will this problem be to you?

31.Counter-example - What are examples that show that what you are going
through is actually a good thing, or not as bad as you think?

32. Ultimate Purpose - How is this situation helping you fulfill your ultimate
purpose as a Christian?

33. God Doesnt Need Your Help - How much help does God need from you to
take care of things that now belong to him (remember - your situation, your
family, your future, and your life all belong to God)?

34. Forgotten Gratitude - When did Jesus' sacrifice on the cross, God's gift of
salvation, and a friendship with the Creator of the universe, stop being enough
for you?