Skip to main content

A Fight You Must Win

                 Like many families, we used to review our collective days around the supper table.  Typically, this involved talking about what went wrong, or the annoying things that happened to us.  It was depressing!  So, we made a change and said, “If you have a real problem, we will talk about it.  Otherwise, tell us something good!” 
                There are not many areas in your life where you are in total control, but you are completely in charge of your thoughts. 
                Therefore, I have come to believe that Philippians 4:8 is one of the most important verses for our day and time.  It says, “Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things”.
                That is a command!  We cannot change or ignore it.  Yet, sadly, some of the most discouraging people I know are believers!   That is wrong and counterproductive!  We lose the battle when we give in to negativity.
                Notice, too, that the Holy Spirit used eight different words to describe the same attitude.  There is no way to misunderstand what is expected.  Every thought is to be filtered through the question, “Is this lovely, good, pure, noble and true?”  If it does not harmonize with this tone, then it needs to be altered or discarded. 
                Lastly, when Paul tells them to think on these things, he did mean a passing thought once in while.  Other versions translate “think” with words like, “dwell”, “focus your thoughts”, “fill your minds”, “meditate” and “think about what you can praise God for and be happy about”.  Positive, hopeful thoughts are to be at the centre of everything. 
                To be clear, I am not encouraging you to be naive, deny reality, or bury your head in the stand.  In fact, I guarantee you that there is no danger that you will pass over what needs to be corrected and fixed.  We are too well trained in seeing what is wrong to miss it.
                However, we cannot dwell there.  We must choose to think about possibilities and not just problems.  We must believe that God is working in ways we cannot see.  Even in our worst circumstances, we can choose to see blessings.
                Whether you know it or not, you are in a battle! 
                Fight to find the good!

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Consider This: Who Needs Worship?

  Why does God need our worship? The events of Matthew 14 provide at least one answer.   This chapter starts with the beheading of John the Baptist (verses 1-12). This is the first in a series of events that indicate things are about to become much more difficult for the believers. Next, the scene shifts to a crowd gathered on a hillside in Galilee. After listening to Jesus teach all day, the apostles realized that these people had nothing to eat. They brought the problem to Jesus. He took a child’s lunch and fed the entire group of five thousand men plus women and children. Afterwards, they picked up twelve baskets of leftovers (verses 13-21).   Then Jesus told them to get in a boat and cross the Sea of Galilee. As they went, a storm arose, and the apostles were scared. They struggled along until Jesus came to them walking on the water. Peter tried walking on the water too and sank. After Jesus rescued Peter, they got into the boat, and the storm immediately s...
Post a Comment
Read more

A Spiritual Makeover (1 Peter 1:13-16)

 Three responses to the new life God has given us.  https://youtu.be/FmqX5-3jOKc  
Post a Comment
Read more

Consider This: The Danger of Drifting

   Consider This: The Danger of Drifting Most people will not blow up their life in one big, messy moment. It can happen, and when it does, the damage is obvious and instantaneous. Like a car wreck at an intersection, people make a bad decision, and chaos ensues. Parts and pieces scatter all over. People get hurt. Situations like this are unexpected, loud, shocking and scary. Most of us will not wreck our lives in one big, terrible moment. The real danger is that we will lose what is valuable in small, almost imperceptible steps. It happens all the time. You can leave your marriage without ever leaving your house. You can leave your faith while still attending church. You can leave your life while you are still living it. Many people lose what they love, not by making one big, out-of-character decision, but by coasting, disengaging, neglecting and missing what matters. Almost every Biblical list of Christian characteristics mentions “Self-control”, yet I have not g...
Post a Comment
Read more