Think on these things…

What if your mind was like a machine that automatically prints all the thoughts that pass through your mind at the end of each week? Let’s say that happened for this past week. What was your printout like? What things did you think about?

These are very important questions because in order to experience God’s peace in our lives we need to get rid of certain things from our thinking and we need to contemplate other things instead. Philippians 4:8 commands us to think on things that are true, noble, right, pure, lovely and admirable. We are told to centre our minds on these exalted things —things that are uplifting and praiseworthy.

It’s so easy to let the mind wander and allow doubt, discouragement, fear, self-doubt, etc. to creep in. Don’t dwell on things that do not provide the right kind of sustenance for the right kind of thinking. What you think upon will eventually determine your character and your attitude.

We are told to centre our minds on these exalted things because they reflect God’s character, and our aim is to be like Him in every way. God wants us to fill our minds with the truth and to contemplate those things that are right. He wants us to give time in our thinking to considering things that are noble, pure and pleasing. He wants us to reflect on what He teaches us is good and on his redemptive acts and power. He wants us to ponder things that are lovely.

When He says to think about what is true, He wants us to focus our attention on his Word. We know from reading John 14:6 that Christ is the embodiment of the truth. He is the final and complete revelation from God, from whom and through whom we can know the truth. When we fill our minds with God’s truth we are really filling our minds with the knowledge of his Son.

As Christians, we are called to focus our attention on these praiseworthy things. We aren’t called to dwell on doubt, discouragement, fear, and all the other things that we struggle within our minds. These things rob us of our peace.

I know that this isn’t a natural thing for us to do, but it can be done. Day in and day out I’m convicted to think about only what is good and pleasing in the sight of the Lord. Do I always accomplish this? No, I don’t. Trying to do things in our own strength will always lead to failure.

Don’t you worry though; there is good news! The good news is that Jesus Christ works this repentance and this change of thinking in his people (Acts 5:31). Christ renews our thinking so that we learn to fill our minds with the beautiful, praiseworthy things that are from God.

Let us daily ask God to change our thinking, because those who fill their minds with the Lord – who He is, and the things that are true, just, pure, admirable, and lovely – are blessed with a deep sense of His peace. Yes, that’s a promise! Read Philippians 4:9. 

What will you do today? Assess your mind. What would your printout look like? Would it be pleasing to the eyes of the Lord?