“Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy — meditate on these things. The things which you learned and received and heard and saw in me, these do, and the God of peace will be with you.”(Philippians 4:8, 9)
If you have ever wondered why your mind seems to be tired and slow even fatigued to the point of bare functionality, this may help ease your pain a little. The average person has over 10,000 separate thoughts every day! Carry that estimated number to a year or more and you can see that millions of thoughts pass through our brains. So, it is no wonder we can feel mentally exhausted!
Every day each of us decides what we want to think about. Yes, God has given each of us the ability to choose our thoughts and with that blessing will come responsibility! Imagine how it would be if someone offered to provide some $10,000 for you to spend in just one 24-hour period. Would you first sit down and figure out thoughtfully how you would spend that money? Of course you would. All of us would! Isn’t it unsettling that we would spend more time thinking about how to spend money than how we will spend our thought time?
The acronym GIGO (Garbage In, Garbage Out) describes the process of what we put into the computer, whether personally, uploaded, downloaded, etc. … and the truth that this will be the same information that is going to come out. In the same way, it is true of the human mind! The human mind is much more complex than any of even the most advanced and sophisticated computers man can design. The Bible tells us in Proverbs 23:7 that “as one thinks in his heart, so is he.”
The information age world we live in today is the same old version of what Satan has been using since the events way back at the beginning of time in the Garden of Eden. He will hide viruses and other malicious software within websites that will serve to distract, detract and lock down one’s computer, except it is man’s heart that we are considering. In essence what the devil along with the world that serves him is doing is hijacking our thoughts!
Long before the bestseller entitled The Power of Positive Thinking was written by Dr. Norman Vincent Peale, the wise man Solomon admonished us in Proverbs 4:23 to “Keep your heart with all diligence, For out of it spring the issues of life.”
Centuries later it would be the apostle Paul who would pen the inspired words of Philippians 4:8, 9. It is no accident that the relationship of thought and actions are so entwined! That’s the way our Creator made us. Bad actions arise from bad thoughts. Good actions arise from good thoughts. The law of sowing and reaping is very clear for us to see, but the difficulty comes from what we want to think about doesn’t it. Each of us must take the initiative in what we think about, who we listen to and what road we choose to travel down. But we must always remember that we will be held accountable for each of these choices. So, choose well!
One other thought is found in Philippians 4 that must be considered. We cannot possibly be happy, or at peace within our hearts and lives if we’re thinking about wrong choices to make, negative and self-effacing thoughts throughout the day and even the night! If you think you are worthless, bad, ugly or even just a miserable soul to be around … you will probably be as you think you are. Don’t let the world tell you what to think, how to act or how to live! Listen to the inspired word of God and it will always be “the lamp unto your feet and a light unto your path.”
Paul writes in 2 Corinthians 10:5 that we should “…take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ”
Wonderful thoughts for us to remember as we get ready to start a New Year! Thinking of all the special memories with your family! Thanks for always helping to encourage us to grow as Christians! Love and miss you!