Isaiah 55:7
Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the LORD, and he will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon.
As the LORD sought to bring Israel back to Him, He compelled them to do two things: forsake his way and his thoughts. These two things were critical for Israel to come back to God. The desire to return to God was not enough because if they did not forsake their ways and thoughts, they would go back to the same life of sin.
Many people walk an aisle in a church who want to rededicate their lives to Christ, which is a great desire. However, those who come to rededicate their lives often think that walking the aisle and making the public decision will suddenly turn things around. What they find is that they go back to the same life they so badly want to get away from because they don't forsake their ways and thoughts. My friend, it takes more than a public decision to change backslidden ways; it takes you a forsaking of your ways and thoughts to change those backslidden ways. Let me explain what ways and thoughts are.
First, the word “ways” is talking about associations. You will never change your life if you walk with the same crowd that pulled you away from God and doing right. Associations influence actions. Samson had bad associations, and those associations influenced him to do wrong. Peter got around the wrong associations, and though he had a strong desire to do right, those associations influenced him to do wrong. You must change the ways or the places you go if you are to come back to God.
Second, God said to forsake “his way.” It is not enough just to get rid of the wrong associations, but you must stop doing what you feel is right. People often do the wrong things because they rely on their way of doing things instead of doing God’s way. Repentance is truly needed to serve God with your life. You must turn from your way to do God’s way if you are to do what is right. It does not matter how good your way may seem; as a believer I am to walk in one way, and that way is God’s way. You will never change your life until you forsake your way of doing things to do things God’s way.
Third, you must forsake your thoughts to come back to God. One of the biggest struggles any believer fights is the struggle to change their thought life. Your thought life is influenced by what you feed it. Therefore, if you want to forsake your thoughts so that you can be close to God, you must feed your thought life on God’s Word. God’s Word is the only tool to use to change your thoughts. Psalm 37:4 teaches, Delight thyself also in the LORD; and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart. God is teaching that if you delight in His Word and feed your mind the Word of God, God’s Word will change your desires. This may be one of the great keys to overcoming a wrong lifestyle. Feed your mind God’s Word, and His Word will put the mind of Christ in you, which is truly forsaking your thoughts.
Do you want to change your ways and thoughts? Change your associations, surrender your way to do God’s way, and spend much time feeding your mind God’s Word, and you will find that you will succeed in changing your ways and thoughts.