Change your thinking and change your life with these nuggets of wisdom, from Dr. Norman Vincent Peale. Each faith-filled message is designed to guide you on the journey of becoming your best self.
Change your thinking and change your life with these nuggets of wisdom, from Dr. Norman Vincent Peale. Each faith-filled message is designed to guide you on the journey of becoming your best self.
1 of 8 Affirm All Is Possible
The things which are impossible with men are possible with God.
– Luke 18:27
Here’s how to do an “impossible” thing: Size up your problem, pray about it, do all you can about it. If it seems impossible, don’t give up but affirm: “The things which are impossible with men are possible with God.” Keep relaxed. Don’t worry. Avoid getting panicky. Never think, “This can’t be done.” Declare “it can be done, it is being done because God is doing it through me.” Affirm that the process is in motion. The final outcome may not be entirely what you now desire. But, handled in this manner, the solution will be what God wants it to be.
2 of 8 Expect Good Things
My soul, wait thou only upon God; for my expectation is from Him.
– Psalm 62:5
One of the most serious and powerful facts in human nature is that you are likely to get what you are basically expecting. If you spend years developing the mental attitude of expecting that things are not going to turn out well, you are likely to get that result. You create a mental condition slanted to an unhappy outcome. If, on the contrary, you develop and maintain a mental attitude of faith and expectancy —hoping, dreaming, believing, praying, working—you will create conditions in which every good thing can and will grow. Fill your mind with the positive power of spiritual expectancy and God and His good will flow toward you.
In Him we live, and move, and have our being.
– Acts 17:28
This text is a formula for maintaining physical, mental, and spiritual energy. The tension and pressure of modern living draws wearily upon our energies. But here we have a renewal method. The text reminds us that God created us and that He can constantly and automatically re-create us. The secret is to maintain contact with God. This channels vitality and energy and constant replenishment into our being. Every day, preferably about midafternoon when an energy lag usually comes, try repeating this text while visualizing yourself as “plugged” into the spiritual line. Affirm that God’s recreative energy is restoring strength and power to every part of your body, your mind, and your soul.
4 of 8 Forgive Others
Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you.
– Matthew 5:44
Make a list of all the people who have hurt and mistreated you or whom you do not like. Then pray for each by name and sincerely practice forgiving each one. Ask the Lord to bless them. Tell the Lord that you want to mean this. Repel the thought that after all you are “justified” in your resentment. Then speak kindly about these persons to others. Go out of your way to help them. This will, in time, break down many barriers, but even if it shouldn’t, the effect upon you will be amazing. It will clear the channel through which spiritual power flows into you.
5 of 8 Believe You'll Receive
Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you.
– Matthew 7:7
This is a very practical technique of prayer. It works amazingly. One reason we do not get answers to our prayers is that we ask, but do not really expect to receive. We are expert askers, but inexpert receivers. This spiritual formula tells us to ask and then immediately conceive of ourselves as receiving. For example, to be free from fear, ask the Lord to free you. Then believe that He has immediately done so. The minute you express your faith by sincerely asking Him for a blessing and believe your prayer is answered, your prayer is answered.
6 of 8 Trust with All Your Heart
Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.
– Proverbs 3:5
This passage can help you avoid a nervous breakdown. The cause of much nervous trouble is frustration. The antidote to frustration is a calm faith, not in your own cleverness, but in God’s guidance. The cure of frustration is the belief that God will help you obtain your heart’s desire. Trust in God with all your heart and you will be able to keep on working in health and happiness for long years to come.
7 of 8 Get the Most Out of Life
Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love Him.
– I Corinthians 2:9
Is something missing from your life? This Bible verse will restore the old delight in life. It tells you that you have never seen, nor heard, nor even imagined all the marvelous, amazingly fascinating things that God will do for those who love Him, trust Him, and put His principles into practice. As you surrender your life to God every experience of living will grow increasingly more wonderful.
But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.
– Isaiah 40:31
This Higher Power is constantly available. If you are open to it, it will rush in like a mighty tide. It is there for anybody under any circumstances or in any condition. This tremendous inflow of power is of such force that in its inrush it drives everything before it, casting out fear, hate, sickness, weakness, moral defeat, scattering them as though they had never touched you, refreshing and re-strengthening your life with health, happiness and goodness.
