Think About Good Stuff

We are destroying speculations and every lofty thing raised up against the knowledge of God, and we are taking every thought captive to the obedience of Christ,  2 Corinthians 10:5


By nature I am a pessimist. My mind frequently plays out the worst case scenario. I worry, speculate, fear and then find myself overwhelmed with anxiety.

A wise mentor spoke these words which stuck with me: "If your mind is filled with negative thoughts, ask yourself, are these thoughts from God or from the enemy? Thoughts that get us down or cause us to think badly of ourselves are not of God. God speaks words of life to us, while the enemy speaks words of death. The enemy comes to steal, kill and destroy. Choose to believe the truth of God's words."

Recently I was challenged to commit more scripture to memory. Always a good idea, but one I had neglected for a very long time. I picked this verse:

Finally, bretheren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellenceand if anything worthy of praise, dwell on these things.

Philippians 4:8

This verse encourages me to put out of my mind the "words of death" that come only from the enemy and serve only to rob me of enjoying the abundant life God promises to those who seek Him. I have succeeded in memorizing this verse. But I realized that my tendency is to lump these eight thought categories into one. Summed up this verse basically meant to me, "think about good stuff." Surely God has more for me than just vague good thoughts. So I consulted a dictionary to give me a clearer understanding of each of these virtues I am to dwell on.

• True: reliable; certain; exact; accurate; right; correct; conforming to the ideal character; honest; virtuous
• Honorable: worthy of high regard or great respect; noble; having or showing a sense of right and wrong; having integrity; upright
• Right: in accordance with morality; upright; virtuous; correct in thought, statement, or action; true
• Pure: free of any contamination; wholesome
• Lovely: beautiful; delightful
• Good Repute: the state of being highly thought of; high regard; renown; distinction; prestige
• Excellence: the quality of being outstanding or extremely good; superiority; brilliance; greatness
• Praiseworthy: deserving approval and admiration; commendable

If this is where I focus my thoughts, how will there be room for anything else? Exactly. As I discipline myself to dwell on the beautiful things of God, my heart will begin to push out the enemy's "words of death." No longer will my mind and heart be set on worry, fear, anxiety, speculation, selfishness, ugliness, bitterness, guilt, shame. The Philippians passage continues:

The things you have learned and received and heard and seen in me, practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you. 

Philippians 4:9 

What a promise! Now I must go practice!