A Prayer for Changing the Way You Think
By: Alisha Headley
“Don’t be like the people of this world, but let God change the way you think. Then you will know how to do everything that is good and pleasing to him.” - Romans 12:2
Our minds are so powerful. What’s on your mind at this very moment? A few studies have shown that we can think up to 80,000 thoughts in a given day, and out of those thoughts, 80% of them are negative. Ouch! A better question to ask you is what are you feeding your mind that is ultimately giving you the thoughts you have right now?
Your thoughts can very much dictate your actions. For what you think on, will drive you to act on. Your mind is your container, and we must go to great lengths to protect it. We must be intentional about that which we fill our minds.
If we are not intentional about what we are allowing in, things will naturally fill as just living a part of this world. From the moment we wake up, we are inundated with automatic notifications on our phones, computers, and television. We go to work or the grocery store, we see people around and signs and billboards on our drive.
The portals to our mind are our eyes and ears and sometimes if we’re not aware, they get filled up by things unintentionally. This is why we must be intentional to guard it, and not just graze through life filling our minds with things that do not serve us.
What we see and what we hear will affect our thinking greatly. So, having wisdom when it comes to intake matters so much. Today’s scripture reminds us to depend on God to transform and renew your mind. It’s easy to be molded into the things of this world and can be done without us knowing. God can give us a new way of thinking as we renew our mind on Him, on things above, on His truths written in His Word, and through the power of the Holy Spirit.
Let’s allow God to change the way we think as we guard what we are taking in. And as we begin renewing our mind on Him and He changes the way we think, we can then please him through our actions, remembering that it all starts with the mind.
Dear Lord,
Thank you, Lord, that you did not leave us empty-handed. That we have the truth of your word to depend on to navigate us through this world. Father, we ask that you would give us your mind. Help us to filter everything that comes across our minds through your perspective. We want a mind like Christ and want to be transformed through the renewing of our mind.
We ask that the Holy Spirit please reveal to us anything we are listening to our watching that is feeding our mind negative thoughts that we may be unaware of. Please protect our minds and prompt us in those moments to rid ourselves of anything that is not focused on you.
Lord, we ask that you change the way we think. That you would please guide us into your path you have for us. That the voices we hear and the things we set our sights on would be honoring to you. Help us to think on things above, not on things of this world. (Colossians 1:3). As your word says in Philippians 4:9, remind us “to think on things that are true, noble, just, pure, lovely, are of good report…anything praiseworthy, to think on such things.” We want to honor you in all that we do. We love you, Lord.
In Jesus’ Name,
Amen
Alisha Headley is a writer and speaker who has a desire to meet the everyday woman in her everyday life with biblical truth. Healing from a chapter of life consumed with lies she once believed about herself, she is inspired to point women to Christ to experience the freedom and power to overcome those lies with the truth written in God’s Word. You can follow her blog by visiting her website or connect with her on facebook + instagram.
Related Resource: Starting 2026 with Intention: Confidence, Diligence, and God’s Direction
As we begin a brand-new year, I want to help you slow down and listen for God’s invitation in your life. In this episode, we kick off our One Word 2026 series — a simple, prayerful way to reflect on where you’ve been and discern how God may be inviting you to grow in the year ahead.
I introduce the heart behind choosing a spiritual “one word,” not as a goal to achieve, but as a posture to receive. We explore two of the six words I’ll be offering this month — confidence and diligence — and look at how Scripture invites us to grow, not by relying on our own strength, but by trusting God’s faithfulness over time.
This episode is part of our How to Study the Bible Podcast, a show that brings life back to reading the Bible and helps you understand even the hardest parts of Scripture. If this episode helps you know and love God more, be sure to subscribe to the How to Study the Bible Podcast on Apple or Spotify so you never miss an episode!
