What are your default settings? We all have them. Life tends to assign them as we go regarding certain mindsets like poverty, parenting style, victim mentality, propensity for anger or fear, and learned personality traits like passive-aggressiveness or avoidance, to name a few.

Then there’s the flip side, the positive experiences that influence who we are and who we will become. For instance, a coach or teacher that took time to encourage you and build into you a positive attitude. Or, the introduction of faith early on that has sustained you through some really difficult life experiences.

As a result, all of these experiences—positive and negative—create default settings that ingrain themselves into the fabric of our mindset, and in turn, influence our behaviors. When it comes to what we believe and what we do in certain circumstances, our default settings most definitely come into play unless we challenge them. Instead, we tend to embrace them as our own and say things like, “I can’t help it” or “That’s just the way I am”.

However, we don’t have to accept our negative mindsets as hard truth. The only hard truth we need to adopt is that we can do all things through Christ who strengthens us (Philippians 4:13). But, in order to reboot our system to line up with this truth of God’s word, we must challenge the negative default settings that are keeping us stuck.

What do I mean by that? Surviving isn’t enough anymore. You were made for so much more than that, and you are working hard in so many areas to gain forward momentum and freedom.

So how do we move past just surviving to really thriving, even if our environments don’t change right away?

We can start by praying like David, the Shepherd-King, Man after God’s own heart prayed. “Search me, God, and know my heart: test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.” (Psalm 139:23-24) 

So how do we reboot our negative default settings that are keeping us stuck in a state of survival? We need to identify them, challenge them with the truth of God’s Word, and choose a new way of thinking when the opportunity presents itself.

When we do this, we are choosing to follow God by allowing Him to create a new way of life for us and for our children. The more we practice this, and the more we make a habit of this, the easier it will be. I promise you, it is well worth the effort.

Reflect and Respond:

Take a moment and pray about one specific area where you feel stuck. Ask God to reveal it to you. Then, sit in the silence and wait, listening for God to answer. Once you have an idea of one area, challenge it. Ask yourself why you think you’ve adopted this particular mindset as a default setting in your life, and how you can take a step out of it. Then do it!

Remember, you are not alone. Be blessed this week as you ReBOOT into a healthier and ultimately freer you!