Today’s scripture: Philippians 4:8 (NRSV) (The Message) What might God be saying to me?
My thoughts (David Zier):
I hate it when I let myself get distracted by stuff that takes away my focus and clutters up my mind.
Not long ago, I was feeling that someone was being nice to me because they had to be, but basically was ignoring me otherwise. No matter what I did or said, it was never good enough. Work I did was never passed on, my ideas were dismissed and belittled, and no matter what I was trying to do, it was ignored.
When all of this was happening, my mind was occupied with thoughts of the things I would like to say — and how that would hurt this other person. Of course I never said anything, so the other person was spared and was never hurt. I thought I was being righteous because I never did anything — I just thought about it. So, there was no harm done. Right?
When I read this passage in Philippians, it makes me realize that when I fill my mind with this stuff, I may not be hurting the other person, but I am hurting myself! If I waste my time and brain-power with these thoughts, it takes my mind off of the honorable, just, commendable, and praiseworthy things I could be thinking about.
I can take this even further and look back at all of the time I let my mind get preoccupied with all kinds of negative stuff. When I dwell on discouragement, when I’m consumed with selfish motives, when I think about people who have hurt me and what I would like to do or say to them — it is amazing how much time I spend on JUNK! This stuff provides me no benefit, and takes up time and space in my mind where I could be dwelling on good things, righteous things, and pure and just things.
Yes, I know our minds wander and can think multiple things at once, especially my multitasking mind. I don’t know that I’ll ever completely conquer these thoughts that have plagued me over and over. But I think I can be more deliberate. If I allow myself to focus more on what is just, right, and worthy of praise, then this will become more of me, who I am, and how I act. If I allow myself to fill my mind with junk, I wonder how this manifests in my behavior! That thought is scary!
Focusing on the praiseworthy, honorable, just, pleasing and pure things of God will also encourage me during down times, so I will then focus less on the things that bring me down.
Thought for the day: Am I focusing my thoughts on the right things?
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