It’s hard to believe that we are in the final stretch of 2024. Before we know it, a new year will be upon us filled with the promise of new goals and aspirations to help us “live our best lives.”

Each of us has our own definition of “best life.” For some it may be finding a new career, getting married, or the purchase of a house. For others, it might be health related or perhaps growing your relationship with God. 

However you define this for yourself, it might be worthwhile to use these remaining months to do an inventory of what’s working and what’s not. What’s standing in your way of greatness? What’s holding you back?

The Bible tells us in Proverbs 23:7 that “For as he thinks in his heart, so is he.” It sounds like our thoughts have a lot to do with how we are living our lives. Thoughts become actions. Actions become habits. Habits become our life.

Therefore, it makes sense that if we want to make any sort of change in our life, we have to start at the top…in our heads. Change your thoughts and you change your life.

At a recent conference I attended, one of the speakers shared a brilliant idea about how to do this. She suggested that we take a “thought inventory,” and identify all of the wrong or negative thoughts (lies) we have and pair them up with the truth of God’s Word. What might this look like?

Here’s an example:

Negative thought (Lie): No one loves me.
Positive thought (Truth): God loves me.

“For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Romans 8:38-39 NKJV)

“For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.” (John 3:16 NKJV)

In the advertising world, it takes at least eight impressions of an ad for us to remember it. Therefore, for truths to replace the lies we may be believing, we need to have the same approach.

Find at least eight occurrences of truth in God’s Word that combat the lie(s) we may be believing. 

Not a Bible scholar? No worries! If your Bible has a concordance, then all of the Scriptures are categorized under themes. So for the above example, just look for the word “love.” Next, write down every Scripture that speaks to the theme of God’s love. Then, speak them out loud until you believe the Truth more than you do the lie.

Rinse and repeat for each negative thought or lie that’s listed in your inventory until the warehouse is empty. (Note: just as a business takes regular inventories of its products, you may need to do this from time to time.)

Here’s what I’m learning:

People’s opinions (including my own!) don’t matter. Only God’s opinion of me matters. What He thinks and feels and says about me is Truth. Anything that contradicts the Word of God is a flat out lie. If God said it. I believe it. That settles it.

This week I’d like to encourage you to do a thought inventory. Write down the lies you have been believing and replace them with the Truth. Make this a regular practice and before you know it, that best version of you will become a reality.