With What Are We Filling Our Minds, Especially Now?

In yesterday’s post we talked about picking what we ponder and choosing the thoughts we think. With what and how we fill our minds determines our words, our actions, our attitudes, our beliefs, our dreams, our choices, our lives.

Above all, be careful what you think because your thoughts control your life.

Proverbs 4:23 ERV

Our thoughts control our lives.

Wow, so true! We especially see this now during the COVID-19 outbreak. Our thoughts make all the difference whether we are at home, are on the front lines, or are just doing our part to keep things moving in a positive direction.

We ended yesterday’s post by encouraging us to make a list of the things with which we can fill our minds, based on Philippians 4 in The Message translation:

Don’t fret or worry. Instead of worrying, pray. Let petitions and praises shape your worries into prayers, letting God know your concerns. Before you know it, a sense of God’s wholeness, everything coming together for good, will come and settle you down. It’s wonderful what happens when Christ displaces worry at the center of your life. Summing it all up, friends, I’d say you’ll do best by filling your minds and meditating on things true, noble, reputable, authentic, compelling, gracious—the best, not the worst; the beautiful, not the ugly; things to praise, not things to curse. 

Philippians 4:6-8 MSG

Things that are true and honest, excellent and worthy, real and authentic, merciful and kind, pure and holy. The good, the beautiful, the praiseworthy.

These are incredible examples with what to fill our minds!

My list is a bit too long to include in this post, but here is a snippet of it. These days I’m choosing to fill my mind with:

• prayer
• praise
• scripture
• joyous memories
• uplifting music
• ways to do my part
• encouraging words
• ways I can help
• hopeful thoughts
• ways I can be a blessing
• solutions
• believing the best in others and in situations
• love-filled words to share to others

Friend, how about you? With what are you filling your mind these days?

Can we really change the way we think?

How do we do that? We can’t just waive a magic wand and poof! our thoughts magically change. How do we fill our minds with good stuff, especially if we’ve thought the bad stuff for so long?

It may take time, but we can do this with God’s help. I’ve mentioned this before, but through a trained counselor I’ve learned (and am still learning!) how to change my thinking. Oh, I don’t have it mastered by any means, but I’m learning the truth that I don’t have to believe every thought that I think. I can choose my thoughts, with God’s help. From defeating, deflating thoughts to victorious and praiseworthy thoughts. From believing the lies the enemy of my soul whispers in my ears to recognizing truth from lies, and believing truth instead.

This is Romans 12:2 in action:

Stop imitating the ideals and opinions of the culture around you, but be inwardly transformed by the Holy Spirit through a total reformation of how you think. This will empower you to discern God’s will as you live a beautiful life, satisfying and perfect in his eyes.

Romans 12:2 TPT

God wants us to believe His truth.

To believe and fill our minds with His words. So, when a thought enters, we can ask, “Is this truth? Does this thought fall into any of the categories Paul listed in Philippians 4:8?” If not, then we can choose a different thought. We can ask, “What would I rather think, instead?” Or, “What thought is God’s best for me right now?” Or, “What truth replaces this lie?”

As an example, let use a thought that’s a lie: “You are not enough. You will never be enough.”

Instead of choosing to believe that lie, we can choose a different thought. Let’s change it. Sometimes it helps me to write it down. “God says I’m good enough because of Him. He created me fearfully and wonderfully (Psalm 139:14 NIV). So, I am good enough.”

Amen. The more we intentionally check our thoughts and change them as needed, the easier this becomes. I promise.

Let’s keep filling our minds with truth, with good, with hope, with God’s best.

We may need this now, more than ever.

So, what’s on your list? With what are you filling your mind today? Write it down… in your journal, on your bathroom mirror, on a scrap piece of paper and post it on your fridge. Begin your list and keep adding do it. Our thoughts matter, especially today.

God bless you, friend. Praying God’s presence encourages you, strengthens you, and blesses you… and your thoughts!

Much love,