Matters of the Heart – Thoughts on Thoughts

Have you ever thought about how powerful the mind is?
Dan was reading Jesus Calling recently and the devotion was about your mind; how negative or untruthful thoughts, can creep in and rule us. I listened intently because this past week, I was reminded of the verse from 2 Corinthians 10:5b which says: we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ. I don’t see it as ironic, but as another way God is reminding me how powerful the mind is.

I am sure you can think of times in your life when you were told something, you let it creep into your mind, fester, and you all of a sudden believe it to be truth, even though it specifically goes against God’s Word. Why do we do that? Why do we let those things that others say, rule our minds? I have never believed the power of what Philippians 4:8 says, to be so true:
   
Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.

God gives us direction for what to think about – yet we let OTHER things come into our minds and rule. What if we truly listened to what God’s Word says in this verse above? What if we all lived our lives with this verse in mind? To take EVERYTHING “captive” and make it obedient – boy do I have a LOT of work to do! How quickly negative thoughts come to my mind. How naively I just hear something and don’t think about the worldview behind it.

Romans 12:2 says: Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect. How do we renew our mind? I think by following what Philippians 4:8 says above.

Isaiah 26:3 – You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you. I struggle to always keep my mind on Him. I know that sounds horrible, but really, I lose focus so easily through worry, through thinking my plan is better. If my mind STAYED on Him, and HIM alone, worry or selfish thoughts would not reign.

What thoughts in your life, do you need to take captive? What is it about the verse from Philippians that you need to apply? What do you need to do to “stay” on Him? God fearfully and wonderfully made us – even our minds. But we are made in the likeness of Him – what an honor! That is why I don’t see it as a chore to take captive my thoughts, but a joy to serve my Creator!