4. THE INDEPENDENT PART OF YOU
The topic I chose for this chapter makes me laugh. It's intended to be a paradox. The longer form of the
title of this chapter would be OUR MINDS THAT HAVE THEIR OWN MINDS. Paradoxical eh! But that’s the
truth. It’s crazy how we also refer to our minds as ‘my mind’ and that of others as ‘your mind’ when in re-
ality taming and controlling the mind is probably one of the hardest tasks known to mankind.
The Mind is probably the most quintessential and the most delicate part of our makeup as human beings.
The mind in my personal opinion is more dangerous than the tongue. Because the tongue only spews
what has been predetermined in the mind and we only do what we have conceived inside of us.
This truth is age-long and is well seen in the words of the Wise Man of the Proverbs who in Chapter 4:23
clearly states,
“So above all, guard the affections of your heart, for they affect all that you are. Pay attention to the
welfare of your innermost being for from there flows the wellspring of life” TPT
“Keep vigilant watch over your heart; that's where life starts”
MSG
The message here is clear. Our thoughts affect everything we do. Everything starts in the mind – good,
evil, wickedness, lust, fornication, lies, theft and yes even depression
The Proverbist further says,
“For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he.” Even though the other part of Proverbs 23:7 talks about a man
who says come and eat but doesn’t mean it (as we Nigerians are fond of), the principle applies elsewhere.
What you think is what you become.
The secular world understands this all too well and that is why the message we hear everywhere is believe
in yourself – you can do it. I acquired one of my best quotes to date from the movie ‘Akeelah and the Bee’.
It says, “Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate - Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond
measure. We may ask ourselves, who am I to be wonderful, courageous, fantastic and talented – well the
question is who are you not to be? We were born to make manifest through the glory of God that is within
us. And while we let our lights shine – we unconsciously give others permission to do the same”.
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