November 13, 2023
Melissa Valerio
Philippians 4:8 “From now on, brothers and sisters, if anything is excellent and if anything is admirable, focus your thoughts on these things: all that is true, all that is holy, all that is just, all that is pure, all that is lovely, and all that is worthy of praise.” (CEB)
Tell me if this is how your mind works too. Once I latch on to a thought, especially a thought riddled with worry, it’s extremely hard to change my line of thinking. There’s sort of an anxiousness tied to it that won’t let go of me. And then I’ll harbor on these thoughts and marinate on them until they consume my day and I’m left feeling spiritually defeated. Usually, they have to do with a relationship or a past event or a bad decision that I made. I’m pretty sure it has something to do with feeling guilt and shame on my part. And to tell you the truth, it’s a pretty constant thing I deal with. But I don’t have to keep thinking this way.
Since our spiritual life is hinged on what we think, if we’re not thinking correctly, we’ll be consumed with us and therefore, won’t be worshiping, behaving, or glorifying God in the right ways. Conversely, if we are thinking correctly, we will be consumed with pure things; thereby worshiping, behaving, and glorifying God in the right ways. In addition, we’d be overcomers of temptation, win spiritual bottles, and be able to keep focus on truth. The trick is, how do we keep our thoughts holy and pure as Philippians 4:8 instructs us to? Easier said than done, true. But here are the ways I’m going to do it:
- Think about Jesus. Jesus is the Way, the Truth, and the Life. There’s nothing purer than Him. When I think about what Jesus has done for me and the love that He continuously pours into me daily, instantly my heart is full of gratitude, and I know my thoughts are pure if they’re on Him.
- Read scripture. Without even knowing it, reading scripture sanctifies the soul. The more spiritual food I feed myself, the more my spirit gets strengthened and my heart and mind become full of truth.
- Look for God amid difficulty. When those thoughts of shame and guilt start to rise, I will look for God at work within those situations. Whatever happened to make me feel that way, surely God was still with me through it. Where can I find Him during those valleys? And what is He doing through it? Do I believe that God is sovereign? And that He has a purpose for all things? And do I believe that I belong to Him? Then even the difficult situations will be turned into good for me.
Prayer: Lord of Heaven and Earth, You know my thoughts from afar. You know what worries me and plays in my mind over and over again. Help me focus on the Truth of Your Word. That I am loved, favored, protected, victorious, redeemed, and made holy by Your son’s blood. Your faithful love reaches to the Heavens yet amazingly, You choose to pour it in me. Thank You. In the name of Your precious son, Jesus, Amen.
Action: Read Luke 11:17. Notice that Jesus knew what they were thinking. Our thoughts are expressed directly to Him whether we realize it or not. It’s almost like a dialogue between Him and us. Try to be conscious about what you’re thinking and consider that you’re having a conversation with Jesus in your mind. Invite Him into the conversation. See what He might have to say about the issue.