THINK ON THESE THINGS… (I need an attitude adjustment!)

PHILIPPIANS 4:8: “Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things.” NKJV

OBSERVATION: “You need an attitude adjustment!” Has anyone ever said that to you? Have you ever said that to anyone else? The truth is…

WE ALL NEED AN ATTITUDE ADJUSTMENT!

Our minds are like our houses. We spend an entire lifetime painting, decorating, and adding to our homes to make them just right. However, they don’t stay that way. The new couch wears out. The paint begins to peel. And, that picture that we thought we had to have no longer goes with everything.

It is time for redecorating!

This is true with our thought life. We start with good thoughts. We try to be positive. We try to focus on godly things. Yet, as the days wear on – faith is replaced with fear. Forgiveness is replaced with resentment. Love is replaced with hate. Purity is replaced with impurity. Suddenly we find all the things we don’t want rushing to the door of our mind.

It is time for some new thoughts!

This verse can stand alone in the book of Philippians but it is important to note the context of Paul’s exhortation. Paul, noting the struggle that the Philippian church had been experiencing, calls them to prayer.

“Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:6-7

From anxiety to peace. This is Paul’s call to the Philippian church. This is the call we all need to hear. How do we move from anxiety to peace? It is through prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving. As we pray, as we lay our needs before the altar of God’s grace, and as we give Him thanks for His great mercy and faithfulness, our minds are brought into alignment with our spirit we experience the peace of God which surpasses all our human reasoning and understanding. This is a wonderful promise of God!

Yet, the moment we pray our mind begins to drift. The enemy of our souls sends a special delivery of fear and anxiety to the doorpost of our mind. We have a choice. Will we persevere in faith or will we become doubleminded, unstable in all our ways? When we fall into doublemindedness, when our minds begin to wander away from our spirit which is in communion with the Holy Spirit, we find our peace beginning to unravel. James reminds us,

“But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind. For let not that man suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.” James 1:6-8

So what is the answer? It is to refocus our minds, to fill our thoughts, to direct our meditations (what we dwell on moment by moment), to the nature of God and the promises of His Word. Our minds must be cleaned up each day just like our homes need to be cleaned, repainted, and redecorated. We need to fill our minds with thoughts and meditations that are in agreement with our prayers and God’s promises.

The law of entropy applies to everything in life, including our minds. We go from order to disorder, from health to disease, from peace to anxiety – unless we do something! Paul reminds us what we need to do. We are to follow up our prayers with a spring cleaning of our minds!

“Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things.”

Lord, help me to redirect my thoughts to You. Fill my thoughts with the promises of Your Word. Direct my musings each day to things that are above not to things of this earth. Let my thoughts, my meditations, be lifted toward the heavens and focus on what is good, virtuous, and praiseworthy!

In Jesus’ Name!