Beliefs: The Driving Force in Our Lives – Part 1

 

Blog Series:

Renew Your Mind ~ Transform Your Life

Our beliefs control everything about us. Though we typically don’t realize it, our beliefs control everything about us. If there is something that needs changing in our behavior, it is because there is something that needs changing in what we believe. If we believe a course of action will be good, we will take it. If we don’t, we won’t. In a book entitled Up to No Good: The Rascally Things Boys Do, as told by perfectly decent grown men, which is a compilation of stories recalling childhood years, one man told this story: “Lou was playing with some friends and decided to try flying. So they climbed up onto the roof of the barn, and Lou strapped some heavy wooden boards onto his brother’s arms. Then they counted down, and he jumped. He was lying on the ground, groaning in pain with several broken bones, and Lou yelled, “Hey Shorty! You forgot to flap your wings!” You see, Lou's brother, Shorty, – momentarily persuaded by Lou – believed he could fly. Based on that belief, he jumped off the roof of the barn. But what he believed was wrong, and Shorty paid the price. That’s the power of beliefs. They control everything about us. They control our attitudes, values and behavior. The problem is, as Shorty found out, our beliefs don’t always match reality. And when they don’t, we can pay an awful price. That is why it is so important for us to be sure that what we believe is true. This idea is closely connected with what we believe will make us happy. We always do what we believe will make us happy. It is as Blaise Pascal once wrote: "All men seek happiness. This is without exception. Whatever different means they employ, they all tend to this end. The cause of some going to war, and of others avoiding it, is the same desire in both, attending with different views. The will never takes the least step but to this object. This is the motive of every action of every man, even of those who hang themselves." If we believe that going to war will make us happier than we are now, we will go to war. If we believe that avoiding war will make us happier than we are now, we will avoid war. It doesn’t matter the extreme, we will take it if we believe it is true and will make us happy. That’s how powerful beliefs are. But just like Shorty, what we “believe will make us happy” may not be true. So, again, that is why it is vital to be sure that what we believe is true. Where we get many of our beliefs

• Childhood experiences: We get many of our beliefs from early childhood experiences. Early experiences, whether positive or negative, can have a powerful shaping effect on our beliefs. We may grow up believing that adults can be trusted or not, that life can be happy or not, that we are the center of the universe or not, God exists and is good, or not, and so on.
• Family: Parents can set examples of the purpose of life that can make you happy or not. Parents' nurture can teach a child how to believe in and trust God, or not. Parents can set a good example of how to live life, or not.
• Education: Education can help a child understand how to be successful in life or not. It can lead you to understand how to relate positively to others or not. It can give you an accurate assessment of your potential in life or not.
• Culture: We get many of our beliefs from culture at large, affected primarily by modern media: television, music, movies, and now the internet and social media. As time goes on, more and more of what we get from culture is wrong. As a result, many Christians grow up holding many attitudes, values and beliefs that are the same as non-Christians.

  These are not all the things we can learn from our world around us, and many of the things listed in one category could also be listed in the other categories. The intent is not to be complete, but to give possibilities of where and how we got our beliefs. The point we have been making is that, considering how we get our beliefs, many times from unreliable sources, we often end up believing wrong and self-destructive things that can wreak havoc as we try to live an authentic Christian lifestyle. Conclusion So, as Christians, we face a major hurdle in our pursuit of an authentic Christian lifestyle. Many Christians do not realize that their beliefs control everything about them. Nor do they realize that they adopted many of their beliefs subconsciously. As Francis Shaeffer once said, “Most people get their values the same way they get the measles: by being around others who have them.” So as Christians, we often go blissfully through life, operating according to secular beliefs without realizing where we got our secular beliefs or even that we have them. It causes us a lot of problems. Next week, we will look at what can we do about the wrong beliefs we have. I hope you’ll join us then. In case you're new here This blog post is part of a series titled "Renew Your Mind, Transform Your Life", introduced on January 5, 2021. As the series continues, each succeeding post will be added to and available in the blog archives at www.maxanders.com. If you know anyone who you think might enjoy joining us in this study, please forward this blog to them and encourage them to sign up for the free video, “Master the Bible So Well That the Bible Masters You.” This will put them on my regular mailing list and they'll receive my weekly blogs on this subject. I look forward to going through this life-changing journey with you. UPDATE: We are moving from this blog to a YouTube channel in early 2024. I’ll keep you posted regarding the transition. If you’re not already on my email list, subscribe here so you don’t miss any updates – you’ll also receive my free video, Master the Bible So Well That the Bible Masters You. In the meantime, while I’m getting the YouTube channel ready, all of the past blog posts are still available – and you know that “repetition is the key to mental ownership!” We recently finished a series titled “Moving from Checkers to Chess ~ 5 Steps to Unleashing the Power of an Eternal Perspective,” in which I “connected all the dots” from posts over the years and combined them into a “spiritual game plan.” That series is a great place to start. I look forward to seeing all of you on my new YouTube channel in 2024 to further discuss how to walk closer with God and live better in life. Two resources I’ve created to help build your biblical base for a closer walk with God: