“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.”
~ Philippians 4:8 New International Version (NIV)
It follows logically that the object of our focus has a direct bearing on our state of mind. The verse above offers direction on what is worth pondering.
What kind of thoughts meet these peace-bringing criteria? Well, perhaps from experience you’ve discovered (as I have)…
… not my ever-fickle feelings
… not obsessing over a movie or television show
… not reliving the past
… not mapping out the future
… not rigidly clinging to my opinions
… not reciting political rhetoric
… not pining for trouble-free circumstances
What about science? Or math? While it’s true that two plus two equals four, as far as I’m concerned, facts of that type fall short of being lovely and admirable.
For clarity, we can consider additional verses on this topic. For example, Isaiah 26:3 also connects thoughts and peace:
“You will keep in perfect peace all who trust in you, all whose thoughts are fixed on you!”
~ Isaiah 26:3 (New Living Translation)
The Bible directs us to think of God — as we might expect. 🙂 But let us note the other ingredients for “perfect peace.”
* Not just thinking of the basics about God, such as “God is good” but trusting that His good promises apply to me.
* Fixing my mind on “such things” through activities like prayer and Bible study.
I’ve recently started a regular effort to put this into practice, and I can testify that I’m finding peace like never before. Some days it’s hard to push past the jumble of thoughts competing for my attention, but seeing this Bible truth in action encourages me to try again, because — God’s way — “hard” does not equal “impossible.”
Excellent.
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Read more about the Bible’s instruction for peace:
https://finds.life.church/peace-is-possible-but-youll-need-more-than-self-care/
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