Henry Ford the famous inventor and maker of the Model T Ford stated” Whether you think you can, or you think you can’t, you’re right!”. What we believe is shaping our life today and will ultimately affect our tomorrow. Belief is often instigated in the realms of the mind and imagination although these are merely the pathways that release a very powerful tool into our individual lives.
Each of us has a picture of ourselves locked deep inside us, and we live and act out of that picture of who we believe we are, as Henry Ford said, “if you believe you can, you’re right!”
If you have a strong self-belief that you are able to overcome any challenge that comes your way in life then you will find that the strength required to do that will become available to you, but if you believe that you are weak and useless then you will live out of that image and fail in life.
‘As a man thinks in his heart, so is he’ is a scripture often used in describing the power of self-image. (Proverbs 23:7)
Often what we believe about ourselves is shaped by those things we have experienced in life and the words that people have spoken over us. If you grew up in a family where you were abused or belittled constantly by your parents or other family members then your self-image will have been imprinted with at least some of that image, and you may struggle to live a life other than that you have known.
But if you grew up in a home of loving support and encouragement where you were told that you could do anything and be anything you wanted in life, then you have a far greater opportunity to achieve highly in your life, for you also will live out of your self-image.
The good news is that we are all able to change the picture that we have of ourselves and by doing that we can change our destiny in life. By the correct use of imagination, we can begin to re-program those things we believe about ourselves, and by changing the picture we change our future.
Filling our mind with positive and encouraging thoughts daily goes a long way toward bringing about a change in our self-image. But there is an even more powerful way to alter our self-image that is not merely relying upon the self-discipline of imagination.
The words that others speak over our life have a deep and abiding impact upon us, they often seem to carry a credibility and weight beyond that which we can build ourselves. The most powerful element of belief is based not merely upon what we believe about ourselves and the world, but who we believe in. The negative words that have been spoken over us in life by imperfect men are most easily dispelled when they are replaced by far more powerful words spoken by the only perfect being, God.
The life and encouragement that is to be found in daily reading of the scriptures in the Bible imprints powerfully upon our self-image and imparts wisdom and hope to a believing heart.
Jesus Christ once spoke these wonderful words and changed a man’s life forever “If you can believe, all things are possible to him that believes!”
Fathers have a wonderful opportunity to build a strong and positive future for their children by passing on the wisdom and hope they receive in reading many of the parenting bible verses. By constantly speaking words of encouragement and faith over our child we will enable them to succeed in life by building resilience and a respect and love for God.
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