Thinking with Purpose
It is not uncommon for any of us to find ourselves caught in mental gymnastics as our mind tries to unravel the puzzles life presents to us. Sometimes thoughts are completely benign and other times thoughts can carry us straight into fear, anxiety, and worry. If the latter is true then our peace can be destroyed and rest will flee from us. Many times it doesn’t seem to matter to us if our mind is running wild. Should it matter?
Proverbs 23:7 says, “As he thinks in his heart so is he…” Or in other words you will live the life that is occurring in your mind. The word “heart” in the Bible also means your thoughts, feelings, and mind. If that is true, which it is, then we should be very careful of what we allow to happen in our mind. We should be highly scrupulous with the thoughts we permit, allow, and obey in our minds. Why? Because every thought has the potential to become a lifestyle or habit. There hasn’t been one defeat in life that didn’t first start with a thought. There hasn’t been one destructive lifestyle that didn’t start with a thought. On the same note there also hasn’t been one success or promotion that didn’t originate with a thought. We either will think with the wrong purpose and fail or we will think with the right purpose and succeed. You will live where you ALLOW your mind to take you.
How do we know what thoughts to hold and what thoughts to discard? Psalm 19:14 says, “Let the words of my mouth and THE MEDITATIONS of my heart be acceptable in your sight O Lord my strength and my Redeemer.” Again the word “heart” is speaking of the thoughts of your mind. Notice that God isn’t just interested in what comes out of our mouth; He is also concerned with what we are thinking. This is how you gauge your thoughts: If you would not say it then you should not be thinking it. Now you cannot prevent many thoughts that come to your head. But you certainly can keep from dwelling on them. It’s like that old saying: You can’t keep the birds from flying over head but you can stop them from building a nest in your hair! Sometimes we dwell on things that we should remove from our thoughts. Have you ever had a fight with someone and they never knew about it? That means you have been battling them in your mind even if you never said anything about it. If that is true then you have walked out of love even in your mind. 1 Corinthians 13:5 says, “Love…THINKS no evil (of others.)” The Love Nature of God doesn’t dwell on insults and harmful scenarios for other people.
We have the responsibility to discipline our minds to ensure the right kind of God-pleasing living. Not worry, doubt, insult, or fear should be given residence in our minds.
Pastor Tim
Family Church Jamestown is a non-denominational church located in Chautauqua County in Jamestown between Lakewood and Busti NY. The senior pastor of Family Church is Pastor Tim Stahlman a native to the Jamestown, NY area.
