Have you ever noticed that the thoughts you turn over and meditate on in your mind most eventually become words that you speak?

I have. I have noticed words suggesting that I am actually worried sneak out of my lips two minutes after stating that I have left a problem or issue with God. I have heard myself uttering resentful words when I thought I had 'forgiven' someone. I have verbalised negative thoughts about myself when I had promised myself that I wouldn't.

It's very easy to growl at yourself, 'stop worrying, or stop being negative,' only to fail miserably. It's tiring and can lead to burn out.

But there is a better way – and that is to pay attention to what you are thinking about. The Bible cautions us in Proverbs 4 verse 23 to guard our hearts with all diligence for out of it flow the issues of life.

How very true. The mind is a beautiful gift that the Lord has given us which we can control, no matter how wayward it may seem at times. Left unchecked, however, and it can become a polluted spring.

As you identify what's going on in your heart in that moment or the deeply rooted mind-sets, you will see dominant thoughts emerging.

The key to dealing with these thoughts is to begin the process of what the Bible calls 'renewing the mind', in Romans 12 verse 2, which involves taking a scripture dealing with your particular situation and really meditating on it and meditating on it, and then meditating some more until the scripture begins to be rooted into your heart.

Renewing the mind is really a process of exchanging our faulty thinking for God's right thinking. The more you meditate on God's Word, the stronger you become.

With God's help and your commitment, you will see the negative thoughts and mind-sets start to turn around as you fill your mind with God's Word and with increasing consistency, have the strength to turn away negative thoughts.

We have an enemy who loves to fill our minds with wrong thoughts or to engineer situations to expose us. The truth is, we'll always have situations to deal with, new areas where we all need to grow and develop, but by keeping a careful check on our thought life we can begin to gradually change our thoughts and, as a direct result, our words.