Joy & the Single Mom: By Jennifer MaggioSample

Stinkin’ thinking is suffocating your joy.

It’s not fair. The kids never help. The kids never obey. The church always focuses on married couples. I’ll always be single. No one cares. I’ll always be alone. I’ll always be broke. This thinking is completely contradictory to what the Word of God teaches us. Our thought-life can rob us of our joy. The secret to joy is meditating on what is true, honorable, pure, and right. You are a new creation in Christ Jesus, according to 2 Corinthians 5:17. We are redeemed, free, hopeful, and anointed by God. We must choose to live like it in our thoughts, too.

Step 4 to restoring your joy as a single mom: Retrain your thinking!

Our thought life is habitual. If we are meditating on the lies of others, lies of the enemy, or lies from ourselves, then we’ll become bitter. Of course, we cannot control every thought that enters our minds, but we can choose what we do with them. We must choose to respond in love, despite their words. We must choose to speak life despite our current hardships. We must focus on whatever is true, honorable, right, pure, lovely, and admirable. This is our focus. Ask yourself: Is what I’m thinking about worthy of praise? Is it true?

When a thought enters our minds, we must evaluate its merit. Does this thought line up with God’s word? Does it line up with what God has said about me? Does this thought add value to my life and my children’s lives?

For example, is it true that you will never find someone, that your kids will never obey, or that you will always struggle financially? God’s word is full of promises. It is full of stories of unlikely souls that he has redeemed. We can choose to take control of our thought life and focus on those examples. We must choose to live free. Walk in authority you have been given through Christ Jesus, casting down every enemy’s lie. Tear down every stronghold. God intends you to live a wide open, spacious, abundant life in Him. We can’t meditate on lies and expect joy.

Points to Ponder:

• Are you spending time with people and in an environment that fosters a positive thought life?