A little food for weekend thought--
"Very few persons realize the effect of thought upon the condition of the soul--that is in fact its food, the substance from which it evolves its strength and health and beauty, or upon which it may become weak and unhealthy and deformed. The things we think about are the things we feed upon. If we think low and corrupt thoughts, we bring diseases upon our soul just as surely as we bring diseases upon our body by eating corrupt and improper food...On the other hand, if we think of Christ, we feed on Christ. We eat His flesh and blood experientially by filling our souls with believing thoughts of Him...If we take the words of God, His revealed truth, into our lips and eat it, that is, if we will dwell upon His words and say them over and over to ourselves and thoroughly take in and assimilate their meaning in a commonsense way, we shall find that our soul life is fed and nourished by them and is made strong and vigorous in consequence." (Hannah Whitall Smith)
Paul put it this way: "Finally, brothers, 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." (Phil.4:8)
Our thoughts are so critical, aren't they? What we think will determine how we act, what we say, and who we are. It's that simple, that elementary...and yet, how often do we ignore that most basic of truths?
If I'm overwhelmed with worry and anxiety, you can be sure that nagging fears and worrisome concerns are on some kind of auto-loop in my brain. If I'm critical, negative, and nagging (oh what a joy for others to be around!) then you can take it to the bank--I'm fixating on the ugly, pessimistic, and mean. And when I give in to discouragement and hopelessness, well then, I'm clearly NOT focusing on the "true...honorable...just...pure...lovely."
Yes, yes, yes, we know all this--but don't we need to be reminded? As Paul David Tripp always says, we're spiritual amnesiacs. I know I sure am. That's why God so often tells us in His Word to remember. Remember His faithfulness. Remember His goodness. Remember His presence. Remember His power.
But we can't remember that which we don't have in our brains in the first place. So, duh, we have to refuel daily with the right brain food--God's Word. Each day we choose what we're going to put into this most valuable and critical gift that God has given us: our brains. What we fill our minds with and then think about throughout the day will impact us and others far, far more than what kind of physical food we put into our bodies. Yet how many of us spend a great deal more time and attention on the physical food we eat rather than on mental/spiritual food we consume? (As someone who really loves food...guilty!)
Can I ask you--as I've asked myself--what kind of priority do you place on getting into God’s Word? Do you input His life-giving, wisdom-infusing, joy-filling Word into your mind first thing in the morning? Or do you first fill your mind with the junk food of social media or the news or even just your worry list? What we fill our minds with will directly determine our attitudes and our behavior…and that’s particularly true regarding what we put into our minds FIRST thing.
So tomorrow, if you wake up and decide you want to be anxious and fearful, then watch the news rather than read God’s Word. If you think it’d be nice to be discontented, irritable and maybe envious of others that day, then scroll thru social media rather than read God’s Word. If you think it’d be great to feel stressed and pressed all day, then first thing in the morning, ponder your impossibly lengthy to do list and maybe cram a few more items on it, rather than first opening God’s Word and gaining His wisdom, strength and insight for the day.
You get the picture. We make the choice every single morning, beginning the moment we open our eyes. What will we choose FIRST thing? The world or the Word. The phone or the throne. Worry or worship. Let’s choose life. Let’s choose God’s Word that has the power to build us up, to transform us, to teach us, to equip us, to empower for all we will face each day, by His grace and for His glory. Let's fill our minds with God's superfood of all superfoods--His supernatural Word--so that He can enable us to think rightly, wisely, godly, and joyfully.
Chowing down on blueberries, kale and chocolate (of course!) might be good for the body, but consuming the Word is gloriously great for the mind, soul, and spirit! You are what you eat...so choose wisely.
To God be the glory.
