Think on These Things
For most of my adult years, I was a sponsor of a girls’ club at our church, similar to Girl Scouts but with a Biblical emphasis. Their ages ran from 5 to 18 with separate clubs within the larger group. I always worked with upper elementary or Junior High girls and I absolutely loved my ministry. We did it up big with meetings every Wednesday, supplemented by extra activities that we labeled Adventures, which included roller skating, swimming, canoeing, kayaking, treasure hunts, sleepovers, hiking and camping.
Whenever the entire group got together, we would recite our defining scripture verse which is now embedded in my memory and comes back to me with clarity whenever I need to pay attention to the wisdom of those words. It was from Philippians chapter 4, verse 8. We learned the King James version and that’s how I’ll always remember it.
Whatsoever things are true,
Whatsoever things are honest,
Whatsoever things are just,
Whatsoever things are pure,
Whatsoever things are lovely,
Whatsoever things are of good report;
If there be any virtue, and if there be any praise,
Think on these things.
The English Standard Version lists these attributes as true, honorable, just, pure, lovely, commendable, excellence and worthy of praise.
There have been countless times when my mind has focused on the opposite; things that are not true, not honorable, unjust, impure, ugly, degrading, frightening, terrible news about someone or something; causing negative feelings to blossom and flourish. Causing me to get sucked into a downward spiral of discouragement and despondency.
“Think on these things” is more than a suggestion. It is a command. It is how God’s children are to operate.
And often, it’s really, really tough!
God commands us to forgive, to rejoice and to “think on these things”. Not just once in a while when the mood strikes. They are to be part of the pattern of our lives. And they are next to impossible to practice consistently for the sinful, fallen humans that we are. But if God commands us to do something, He will also empower us to do it. The moment we surrendered our lives to Him, when we allowed Christ entrance into our very being; everything changed. We were born again. His Holy Spirit now resides in us and empowers us in every area of our lives.
But… we can still ignore Him and go our own way. We can stumble through life not coming close to realizing all that He has provided for us. That is one reason that being immersed in the truth of His Word is so vitally important. The Bible is rich with instruction for how we are to walk now that we are His. And rich with comfort for those of us that struggle to obey.
Do you realize that “it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure”? (Philippians 2:13) We are His! He is at work transforming our minds, our will, and our actions.
If we let Him.
In my Sunday School class recently, we were talking about forgiveness and how difficult it is at times. One dear friend told of horrible abuse at the hand of her father. (She has written about it for my guest blog this coming Friday.) In the midst of evil, God enabled her to shift her focus from the horrendous act of her father, to the kind, loving attention of a dear lady that God brought into her life. How in the world, we all wondered, could she do that? She simply shrugged and said it was totally of God. He protected her mind and her spirit.
Why not her body? You might ask. I don’t know. That’s a topic for another time. But in this instance, her mind shifted away from the evil imposed on her, over to love and tenderness. God protected her from soul-consuming bitterness. And throughout her life she allowed God to continue to transform her thinking.
We become what we think. “Think on these things…” It is possible. With a choice on our part coupled with God’s power at work in us. And over time, we will be amazed at the transformation.
