I’ve had a number of folks ask about something I talked about a few weeks back when we were studying Philippians 4. I apologize if you’re tired of hearing it, but, good night, there’s some mighty fine truth in that little “epistle of joy,” so it’s worth going back to again and again...at least for those of us who are “good forgetters” (that would be yours truly).
I don’t know about you, but I have to continue consistently renewing my mind in the Word--and that means daily, sometimes even hourly!--so I will live out the truth of what I believe. Healthy attitudes and right actions all spring from healthy and right thinking...one thought at a time. And we’ve got to choose to act based not upon our ever-vacillating feelings but upon our faith-infused, biblically directed thinking. We choose--think and act based upon our up and down emotions or think and act based upon rock-solid Truth.
Sometimes it helps to see this practically lived out, don’t you think? We all need living, breathing examples. Well, one of my heroes of the faith is Joni Eareckson Tada--paralyzed from the neck down in a diving accident when she was a teenager. She’s recently battled aggressive breast cancer and has endured almost wrenching pain and difficulty for nearly 50 years, but Joni radiates the love and joy of Christ. I recently heard her share something, however, that I’ve never forgotten and that relates directly to this very truth. Here are her words:
“Jesus says, ‘Any man who would come after Me must take up his cross daily and follow Me.‘ And frankly, I’ll confess, every morning when I wake up, especially now that I’m in my 60’s and deal with chronic pain, it is so hard...I will wake up in the morning, and I will be lying there with my eyes closed. You know how you can set your attitude for the day right in those few seconds when your eyes are closed and your head’s on the pillow? You’re just thinking about the day and all the appointments and things you’ve got to do, and you are kind of like setting your attitude for the day.
Well, I will tell you, I’m fighting a cosmic battle, because I just don’t know how I’m going to make it to lunchtime. ‘God, I can’t stand this routine. I’ve girlfriends coming in here in a few minutes, and they are going to give me a bed bath. They are going to do my toileting routines. They are going to cinch on my corset. They’re going to pull up my pants. They’re going to get me dressed, sling me in wheelchair, push me to the bathroom, brush my teeth, blow my nose. Oh God, I am so tired of this. I don’t think I can go on. I have no strength left for this. I cannot do quadriplegia. But I can do all things through Jesus Christ as You strengthen me. So give me Your strength. Would You please get me up this morning Jesus? Live through me.”
And Jesus does. Oh boy, does His light shine through Joni! She’s a woman of such courageous faith and contagious joy. But for her, just like for each of us, it all begins every day with a choice--how we will think? Every morning is a fresh opportunity to set our minds and our attitudes--either based on our faith or on our feelings, either for good or for ill.
And when those destructive, negative thoughts come into our minds--which invariably they will--we have the choice! You’ve heard of “stop, drop and roll,” when your clothes are on fire? Well, we have the choice to “stop, drop and replace” when our mind is on fire! Stop and evaluate that thought: “Is this from You, Lord Jesus? And if it isn’t, drop it! Choose to reject it and replace it with another thought! Replace it with prayer, or with a promise from God’s Word or with a praise song or with a list of things for which you’re thankful.
Philippians 4:8-9 even gives us suggestions as to what to replace that negative or destructive thought with--”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.”
You choose. You choose. You choose! But choose wisely...for one choice leads to worry, bitterness, or dissatisfaction. The other leads to peace, contentment, and joy--even in the midst of life’s fiercest storms.
But never forget--behind it all, enabling us to think and do the impossible is the infinite, perfect power of Almighty God. He’s promised that we can do all things--ALL THINGS!--through Christ who strengthens us (Phil.4:13--the promise that never fails!).
We choose...but Christ enables.
We choose to think rightly and stop, drop, and replace...but Christ does what we can’t with His infinite strength, love, provision, power, and grace.
His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness (2 Peter 1:3). “Everything” is translated as “everything!”
That means it’s high time we go out there...and think it...and then He’ll enable us to do it!
To God be the glory.
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