As a Christian book publisher, I’m intrigued by the variety of authors God brings to us and the variety of genres we’ve been blessed to publish.

My newest author, Dan Monahan, brought me a mostly finished manuscript for a self-help book titled Einstein vs. Frankenstein. But not long after we met, I started thinking that God outdid Himself when he sent me Dan. In fact, the thought “I don’t know what God was thinking when he sent me Dan!” might’ve crossed my mind a time or two, but God’s purpose is slowly revealing itself.

In Dan, God brought me an author I’ve been able to advise, but to a greater extent, he has advised me. No, “advise” is too mild a word. “Knocked down and transmogrified” would be a more accurate description.

Dan and I have had some passionate discussions about several topics related to the mind, including to what extent does thinking positive thoughts create positive outcomes? How harmful are negative or neutral statements or thoughts?

Now, when he first brought up this concept, I had flashbacks to the Prosperity Gospel that was popular when I was a young adult (in the early 80s), and some of our friends were captivated by it. They bought into it hook, line, and sinker and drove miles to see Kenneth Copeland, Benny Hinn, Kenneth Hagin and others.

On the other hand, something about it always caused a dissonance in my spirit.

I watched as “Planting a seed for prosperity” eventually led to disappointment when the “seed money” they gave to the preachers did not make the hoped-for riches materialize. I saw how it dented their faith in God. And I classified it as another false doctrine that made the preachers rich while it drove their innocent victims away from God.

So all my hackles were raised when Dan severely chastised me one morning for making negative statements and having negative thoughts. When he brought up the movie The Secret, which promotes the “Law of Attraction”, it made matters worse. I’d seen the movie a few years before, and its emphasis on positive thinking seemed to be the old Prosperity Gospel reinvented and dressed up as New Age mysticism. Dan was a Christian. Did he fall for this lie?

One particularly passionate exchange made me start to believe that any possibility of working together on Dan’s book was out the window.

Except for one thing…

Dan said something that made me think. He said, “The point of me suggesting you watch The Secret was because lately you have had a predominantly negative mindset.”

Hmmm… wait… Did I have a predominantly negative mindset? I started searching my memory and looking back in my online chat history, and then I realized that he had a point. I’d fallen into a bad habit of looking for problems.

So, would having a more positive attitude change my circumstances? It was a conundrum that invited my mind to chew on it.

I knew the answer had to match up with scripture but also meet the requirements of my logical brain.

I eventually admitted, “Having a negative mindset can create immobility so a person might not take the positive actions that need to be taken, so they end up experiencing negative consequences.”

It was logical, but what about the Bible? What does it say about our thoughts and how they affect our circumstances?

I immediately undertook an impromptu Bible study on the subject. The first verse I found was this:

Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect. Romans 12:2 (BSB)

Clearly, God wants our minds to be renewed. But then what I found gave me a whole new view of what “mind control” means in a Biblical sense. In his second letter to the Corinthians, Paul says,

We tear down arguments and every presumption set up against the knowledge of God; and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ. 
2 Corinthians 10:5 (BSB)

We ARE commanded to control our thoughts — every thought. 

Dan also said he hadn’t watched national news programs in three years because it was so negative. 

Then I realized that negative news is bombarding my mind several hours a day because my husband likes to have it on in the background.

This is affecting my mind. I need a better background!

So what does the Bible say about that? In Ephesians, Paul tells believers what they should be speaking to one another and therefore, hearing:

“Speak to one another with psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs. Sing and make music in your hearts to the Lord, always giving thanks to God the Father for everything in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.” Ephesians 5:19–20 (BSB)

THAT would certainly be a welcome background! So instead of the news, I could be listening to Christian audiobooks and music, positive affirmations, and Bible verses.

“Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.” Philippians 4:8 (BSB)

Dan was right. Our thoughts DO control our circumstances. Not in the way promoted by the “Law of Attraction,” but rather, in a way that is even more powerful.

“Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.” Romans 12:2 (BSB)

… we have the mind of Christ. 1 Corinthians 2:16b (BSB)