EMPOWERING LIVES WITH PURPOSE:
Michele Hughes, Leadership Team, Author and Guest Writer:
Have you ever thought about what you think about? I mean seriously. Think about it. What do you spend the majority of your time thinking about? Do you know why you think about it so much? Does your thinking about it change anything? Is it helpful or harmful? Does it add or take away from your day?
Sisters, I’ve been there. I remember a time when I allowed a comment from someone to cause me to lose sleep. I kept repeating it over and over in my mind. This is the enemy who comes to rob me of rest. God doesn’t want that. (John 10:10) NKJV says- “The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.”
Let’s look at what God says to think about. (Phil. 4:8) NIV- “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.”
…and now let’s look at what the opposite of what God says to think about would be.
“Whatever is false, whatever is dishonorable, whatever is wrong, whatever is impure, whatever is hideous, whatever is deplorable- if anything is inferior or disgraceful, do not think about it.”
Even though we cannot control the thoughts that come into our heads, we can control how long we think about them. We need to take captive every thought. We need to recognize what we think about. We need to learn how to eliminate wrong thinking and how to replace it with right thinking. We need to understand where the thought is coming from and whom it is coming from. We need to know the difference. And we need to know the truth.
(2 Cor. 10:5) ESV “We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ.”
(Col. 3:22) ESV “Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth.”
(Isaiah 26:3) NIV “You will keep in perfect peace those whose minds are steadfast because they trust in You.”
What we think about matters. Our thoughts matter to God. Our thoughts affect our health. Our lives move in the direction of our strongest thoughts.
If you struggle with thinking about what God says to think about, ask Him to help you.
(Romans 12:2) NIV “Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is- His good, pleasing and perfect will.”
“Please Lord, let us fill our mind with Jesus and His Word.”