July 6th, 2026
by Aramis D. Hinds, Sr.
by Aramis D. Hinds, Sr.
Have you ever noticed how our minds can become the greatest prison we inhabit? Not the circumstances around us, not the people who hurt us, not even our past mistakes—but the way we think about all of it. We carry invisible chains forged from old wounds, disappointments, and the limiting beliefs we've accepted as truth.
The story of Ben Carson offers a powerful illustration. Before his life transformed from poverty to becoming a renowned neurosurgeon, something had to shift first: his thinking. This pattern appears throughout scripture and human experience—transformation begins in the mind before it manifests in reality.
The Victim Mentality That Keeps Us Trapped
Many of us hide behind our wounds, using them to justify our attitudes and behaviors. We walk through life with a chip on our shoulder, expecting others to compensate for what we've lost or never had. We come to church—or any community—with an unspoken demand: "Smile at me. Validate me. Make me feel better." Yet we offer nothing in return.
This creates a toxic cycle. We mean-mug people while expecting them to be kind to us. We hold grudges while demanding grace. We refuse to extend what we desperately want to receive.
Here's a liberating truth: No one owes you a smile. No one owes you encouragement, affirmation, or comfort. No one has to hug you, high-five you, or speak positively into your life. That's not callousness—it's reality. When someone does extend kindness, it's a gift, not a debt they're paying.
However, when God lives in us, He moves us to do what we wouldn't naturally do. We give generously. We serve sacrificially. We love unconditionally. But this flows from abundance, not obligation.
The Mind of Christ
Philippians 2:5 instructs us: "Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus." This isn't referring to Jesus the miracle worker, though that's part of His story. Paul is pointing to Jesus who, though equal with God, humbled Himself and became a servant—even to the point of death.
This is the mentality God wants us to adopt: living for something greater than ourselves. Jesus didn't think it robbery to be equal with God, yet He laid aside His privileges for a purpose bigger than personal comfort or status.
The word "let" is crucial here. It means "allow" or "give room for." Think of a yellow traffic light—it's a signal to pause and consider, to yield space for something important. God isn't forcing a new mindset on us; He's offering one. We must choose to give Him space to reshape how we think.
The Battle Within
"As a man thinks in his heart, so is he" (Proverbs 23:7). This means you're not defined by what you project outwardly, but by your internal reality. You can smile at everyone while harboring bitterness. You can appear successful while feeling empty. The truth of who you are lives in your thought patterns.
You cannot trick yourself out of brokenness. You must let God in.
Before God enlarges your assignment, He must enlarge your thinking. Many of us once thought small: "I just want to graduate high school. I just want my own apartment. I just want to survive." These aren't bad goals, but they're not big thinking. They're survival thinking.
God created you for more than survival. Eyes haven't seen, ears haven't heard, and it hasn't entered into human hearts what God has prepared for those who love Him (1 Corinthians 2:9). There are things waiting for you that you haven't even imagined yet.
Three Dimensions of Big Thinking
Beyond What You Can Ask or Think
Ephesians 3:20 tells us God is able to do "exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think." The possibilities God has for you transcend your current imagination. You might be satisfied with where you are, but satisfaction can become stagnation. God often shakes up our comfort zones because He has a purpose greater than our ease.
Impossibilities Made Possible
We struggle to believe God for basic things—healing, provision, restoration—so we never venture into the realm of true impossibilities. But Jesus walked on water. Peter joined Him there. A plane crash survivor walked away unharmed when everyone else perished. These aren't flukes; they're demonstrations of a principle: "With God all things are possible" (Matthew 19:26).
When you're with God, and He's with you, anything becomes possible. The miraculous becomes accessible.
Go Into All the World
The kingdom of God isn't about observation—counting buildings or measuring external success. It's about going to the hurting, the broken, the confused, and wrapping them in the love of Jesus. It's about using your unique superpower (yes, you have one) to bring life and freedom to others.
Your Superpower Is Waiting
Every child of God has been given supernatural ability. Like a character in a story who hasn't discovered their powers yet, many believers live as though they're ordinary. But you were birthed from God—you carry His power.
Sometimes that power doesn't activate until there's a need. You're falling, and the only way to survive is to flap your wings. God puts us in situations that force us to discover what He's placed within us.
Your superpower might be:
Don't despise these gifts. They're how God wants to use you to transform the world around you.
From Systemic Poverty to Systemic Transformation
Real change doesn't come from handouts alone—it comes from addressing root issues. Broken families, traumatized children, struggling marriages, financial illiteracy, identity crises—these are systemic problems requiring systemic solutions.
What if the church became a place where families learned to thrive financially? Where marriages received expert counseling? Where people dealt with trauma and found genuine healing? This is thinking big. This is kingdom work.
The Call to Think Big
Young people, being on the honor roll is good, but think bigger. Become a leader in your classroom. Become an expert in your field. Don't let your rough start dictate your ending.
Adults, you're not done yet. You're just getting started. The achievements you've celebrated are merely the foundation for what's coming next.
Joseph was sold into slavery by his brothers and rose to become the Prince of Egypt. Moses had a speech impediment and led millions out of bondage. Gideon came from a despised tribe and became a mighty warrior. Ruth was a widow from a foreign land and became part of the lineage of Christ.
Your beginning doesn't determine your ending. Your thinking does.
The Transformation Invitation
Place your hand on your heart right now. Whatever fear, pain, discouragement, or confusion you're carrying, it's time to release it. The Bible promises that those who call on the name of the Lord will be saved—rescued, delivered, set free.
Maybe you've tried this before and it didn't work. Remember Peter, who fished all night and caught nothing. Jesus told him to cast his net on the other side. Peter obeyed, and the catch was so abundant his net nearly broke.
Sometimes you just need to try the other side—the side of faith, the side of big thinking, the side of believing God's word over your experience.
The name of the Lord is a strong tower. The righteous run to it and find safety (Proverbs 18:10).
It's time to stop thinking small. Stop validating your limitations. Stop using your wounds as excuses.
Think big. Beyond what you can ask or think. Into the realm where impossibilities become possible. Toward a purpose that transforms not just you, but everyone your life touches.
Your superpower is waiting to be activated. Your purpose is waiting to be fulfilled. Your breakthrough is waiting for you to change the way you think.
The question is: Will you let Him transform your mind?
The story of Ben Carson offers a powerful illustration. Before his life transformed from poverty to becoming a renowned neurosurgeon, something had to shift first: his thinking. This pattern appears throughout scripture and human experience—transformation begins in the mind before it manifests in reality.
The Victim Mentality That Keeps Us Trapped
Many of us hide behind our wounds, using them to justify our attitudes and behaviors. We walk through life with a chip on our shoulder, expecting others to compensate for what we've lost or never had. We come to church—or any community—with an unspoken demand: "Smile at me. Validate me. Make me feel better." Yet we offer nothing in return.
This creates a toxic cycle. We mean-mug people while expecting them to be kind to us. We hold grudges while demanding grace. We refuse to extend what we desperately want to receive.
Here's a liberating truth: No one owes you a smile. No one owes you encouragement, affirmation, or comfort. No one has to hug you, high-five you, or speak positively into your life. That's not callousness—it's reality. When someone does extend kindness, it's a gift, not a debt they're paying.
However, when God lives in us, He moves us to do what we wouldn't naturally do. We give generously. We serve sacrificially. We love unconditionally. But this flows from abundance, not obligation.
The Mind of Christ
Philippians 2:5 instructs us: "Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus." This isn't referring to Jesus the miracle worker, though that's part of His story. Paul is pointing to Jesus who, though equal with God, humbled Himself and became a servant—even to the point of death.
This is the mentality God wants us to adopt: living for something greater than ourselves. Jesus didn't think it robbery to be equal with God, yet He laid aside His privileges for a purpose bigger than personal comfort or status.
The word "let" is crucial here. It means "allow" or "give room for." Think of a yellow traffic light—it's a signal to pause and consider, to yield space for something important. God isn't forcing a new mindset on us; He's offering one. We must choose to give Him space to reshape how we think.
The Battle Within
"As a man thinks in his heart, so is he" (Proverbs 23:7). This means you're not defined by what you project outwardly, but by your internal reality. You can smile at everyone while harboring bitterness. You can appear successful while feeling empty. The truth of who you are lives in your thought patterns.
You cannot trick yourself out of brokenness. You must let God in.
Before God enlarges your assignment, He must enlarge your thinking. Many of us once thought small: "I just want to graduate high school. I just want my own apartment. I just want to survive." These aren't bad goals, but they're not big thinking. They're survival thinking.
God created you for more than survival. Eyes haven't seen, ears haven't heard, and it hasn't entered into human hearts what God has prepared for those who love Him (1 Corinthians 2:9). There are things waiting for you that you haven't even imagined yet.
Three Dimensions of Big Thinking
Beyond What You Can Ask or Think
Ephesians 3:20 tells us God is able to do "exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think." The possibilities God has for you transcend your current imagination. You might be satisfied with where you are, but satisfaction can become stagnation. God often shakes up our comfort zones because He has a purpose greater than our ease.
Impossibilities Made Possible
We struggle to believe God for basic things—healing, provision, restoration—so we never venture into the realm of true impossibilities. But Jesus walked on water. Peter joined Him there. A plane crash survivor walked away unharmed when everyone else perished. These aren't flukes; they're demonstrations of a principle: "With God all things are possible" (Matthew 19:26).
When you're with God, and He's with you, anything becomes possible. The miraculous becomes accessible.
Go Into All the World
The kingdom of God isn't about observation—counting buildings or measuring external success. It's about going to the hurting, the broken, the confused, and wrapping them in the love of Jesus. It's about using your unique superpower (yes, you have one) to bring life and freedom to others.
Your Superpower Is Waiting
Every child of God has been given supernatural ability. Like a character in a story who hasn't discovered their powers yet, many believers live as though they're ordinary. But you were birthed from God—you carry His power.
Sometimes that power doesn't activate until there's a need. You're falling, and the only way to survive is to flap your wings. God puts us in situations that force us to discover what He's placed within us.
Your superpower might be:
- Loving the unlovable
- Forgiving those who wrong you
- Extending grace when others extend judgment
- Praying for your enemies
- Believing for the impossible
Don't despise these gifts. They're how God wants to use you to transform the world around you.
From Systemic Poverty to Systemic Transformation
Real change doesn't come from handouts alone—it comes from addressing root issues. Broken families, traumatized children, struggling marriages, financial illiteracy, identity crises—these are systemic problems requiring systemic solutions.
What if the church became a place where families learned to thrive financially? Where marriages received expert counseling? Where people dealt with trauma and found genuine healing? This is thinking big. This is kingdom work.
The Call to Think Big
Young people, being on the honor roll is good, but think bigger. Become a leader in your classroom. Become an expert in your field. Don't let your rough start dictate your ending.
Adults, you're not done yet. You're just getting started. The achievements you've celebrated are merely the foundation for what's coming next.
Joseph was sold into slavery by his brothers and rose to become the Prince of Egypt. Moses had a speech impediment and led millions out of bondage. Gideon came from a despised tribe and became a mighty warrior. Ruth was a widow from a foreign land and became part of the lineage of Christ.
Your beginning doesn't determine your ending. Your thinking does.
The Transformation Invitation
Place your hand on your heart right now. Whatever fear, pain, discouragement, or confusion you're carrying, it's time to release it. The Bible promises that those who call on the name of the Lord will be saved—rescued, delivered, set free.
Maybe you've tried this before and it didn't work. Remember Peter, who fished all night and caught nothing. Jesus told him to cast his net on the other side. Peter obeyed, and the catch was so abundant his net nearly broke.
Sometimes you just need to try the other side—the side of faith, the side of big thinking, the side of believing God's word over your experience.
The name of the Lord is a strong tower. The righteous run to it and find safety (Proverbs 18:10).
It's time to stop thinking small. Stop validating your limitations. Stop using your wounds as excuses.
Think big. Beyond what you can ask or think. Into the realm where impossibilities become possible. Toward a purpose that transforms not just you, but everyone your life touches.
Your superpower is waiting to be activated. Your purpose is waiting to be fulfilled. Your breakthrough is waiting for you to change the way you think.
The question is: Will you let Him transform your mind?
Posted in Breakers Church
Aramis D. Hinds, Sr.
Recent
Archive
2026
January
February
July
Categories
Tags
no tags
1 Comment
"The truth of who you are lives in your thought patterns." Reading this statement after having still time with God and hearing HIM state that I need to REST in HIM, is confirmation. My mind carries sooooo many thoughts; family, finances, ministry, calling that in many cases it has caused me to think more LOGICALLY about it all then spiritually. Yes, God has given me insight to these different areas but its the allowing HIM to give me continuous insight which has veered from TRUE rest in HIM. Hence doubling back to, "the truth of who you are lives in your thought patterns." I'm grateful for this excerpt because it enforces the challenge of continuous release, which results to rest, and breakthroughs to a renewed mind.