Have you ever taken off your shoes after playing outside all afternoon in the hot summer sun, and a super gross, super stinky smell filled the whole room? Yuck! Just like old, dirty socks can make a room smell terrible, bad habits and negative thoughts can create a whole lot of “stinkin’ thinkin'” inside our brains that ruins our day and makes us feel down.
The truth is, long before a habit becomes something you actually do, it always starts as a simple thought in your head. When your thinking gets stinky with bad attitudes like “this isn’t fair,” “I’m going to get back at them,” or “I can’t do this,” your habits end up smelling pretty bad, too! But God loves us so much that he doesn’t leave us trapped in negative thinking—he gives us his Holy Spirit to completely renew our minds!
Ephesians 4:23-24 Instead, let the Spirit renew your thoughts and attitudes. Put on your new nature, created to be like God—truly righteous and holy.
So how do you actually throw away stinkin’ thinkin’ and swap it for God’s truth? The Bible says it’s a lot like taking off dirty clothes and putting on a fresh, clean jacket every single day! Whenever a rotten thought pops into your head at school or during a game, you don’t have to keep wearing it. You can pause, toss that bad attitude in the trash, and ask the Holy Spirit to help you think like Jesus instead.
Whenever you start to feel annoyed, jealous, or ready to complain, try a quick mind-check life hack! Ask yourself: “Is this thought helping me act like Jesus, or is it making my attitude stink?” You can choose to replace negative thoughts with God’s promises by reminding yourself that you are loved, patient, and strong in Christ. When you practice swapping out rotten thoughts for God’s good thoughts every day, you’ll win the battle in your mind and shine his amazing love to everyone around you!
Talk About It
- If you had to invent the most hilariously stinky air freshener spray in the world, what terrible smell would it taste or smell like?
- What is our main Bible truth today, and where can we find it in the Bible?
- Parents, when you were kids, what was a negative or stinky thought pattern you used to struggle with, and how did you learn to change it?
- Why is it so easy to fall into stinkin’ thinkin’ when a friend gets something you wanted or when plans change unexpectedly, and how can Jesus help us flip our attitude?
- What is one practical phrase or Bible truth our family can speak out loud together this week whenever anyone catches themselves using stinkin’ thinkin’?