DO MY THOUGHTS REALLY MATTER?

BIBLE PASSAGE:
“Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble,
whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is
admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about
such things.”
(Philippians 4:8)

MEDITATION:
What is the source of our opinions? What influences our attitudes
and our interactions with others? How do we decide if we will have
a good day, or a bad one? Our metabolism and our emotions have
an effect, but our ultimate decisions are affected by what we think.

If the thoughts of a person are changed, then it changes the person.
If we know that what we think today influences our actions tomorrow,
then it makes sense that we should be selective about the thoughts we
have each day, right?

Should we make a choice to fill our minds with thoughts of God’s love?
If our mind is flooded with God’s grace, will it change the way we feel
about others? Paul tells us of the importance of what we think. We may
feel that keeping the bad stuff out of our minds should be our goal. That
is partly right, but there is more – we also have to allow the good stuff in.

When we hear the phrase,
    “keep an open mind”,
we shouldn’t think of it as an open door for anything. Instead, we should
think of it as having an unlocked door for Godly thoughts and attitudes
to enter our mind.

We can spend our time thinking about wrong things (which can develop
a negative attitude), or we can do better by focusing on God’s blessings
(which steers us toward a positive attitude). Whatever we fill our minds
with, will ultimately impact our own lives, as well as those around us.
What the mind thinks, the tongue speaks. If our tongue spews foulness,
unkindness, etc. then we need to repair the source – which is our mind.

As we view the evilness in our world today, we can allow our mind to
focus on the hopelessness of having a better world, or we can fill our
mind with the hope of the Lord and His promised return. He IS coming
back as He said He would.

The increase of evilness in the world could possibly hasten His return. The
Bible tells us how God poured out His wrath on Sodom and Gomorrah due
to the sinfulness in those cities. He passed judgment on the people there
because they refused to repent.

The return of Jesus will trigger God’s judgment on the people of our world
as well. For non-believers, His return can cause worry and anxiety, but for
Christians it can be reassuring as we anticipate this event with joy (except
for the sadness of knowing there are some we know who are not a part of
His family).

ACTION:
What are you allowing to fill your mind, and what are you preventing from
entering it? Do you enjoy having a positive influence on others (which in turn
increases your positive attitude)? Paul gives us simple instructions for a more
pleasant life: we should control what enters our mind.

It is difficult for opposing thoughts to occupy our minds at the same time.
What dominates our thoughts and actions is something we need to decide.
Paul is implying that if we fill our minds with righteous thoughts, we will
have no room left for the wrong thoughts to find a home in our mind.

Take a few moments and assess the thoughts that you have. Do you look
for the good in others, or do you focus on their faults? Do you look for
ways to encourage others (and especially when you know they are hurting)?

Do you feel that everyone should do the things the way you do them, or do
you accept the fact that God made us differently and He could be steering
others in a different direction? His ways are different than ours, and when
we think someone else should be doing something differently, they could be
doing exactly what the Lord wants them to do, regardless of our opinions.

We can store up the sour or the sweet. Our thoughts affect our lives, and
our lives have an impact on the lives of others. Will your thoughts point
others toward the Lord, or will they point them in another direction? 
Will your words and actions be encouraging or will they create problems?
What would God want you to do? What did Jesus do?

Pray,
“Heavenly Father, help me to be more aware of the
kind of thoughts that are in my mind, and are in
control of the person I am. Teach me to clear my
mind of any thoughts that are not pleasing to You,
and help me to ‘fill the void’ with righteous thoughts
which will enhance my relationship with You, and
with others. When You ‘graced’ me with salvation
You began Your sanctification process in me, where
You purge my mind of unrighteousness and fill it with
righteousness. Help me to embrace the changes You
are making in my life, so I can experience a life that
is more pleasing to You. Thank You for changing me
in ways that I cannot change myself. Thank You for
blocking sinful thoughts from finding a home in my
mind!”

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