You are a product of your thought life! In other words, what you are thinking is what you are becoming and ultimately doing. The Apostle Paul has written this entire letter to the Philippians about choosing joy in the face of uncomfortable circumstances. He has reminded them of faithful servants of the Lord that they should aspire to be like. He has challenged their mindsets, motivations, and missional behaviors. Now, as he nears the end of this emotional letter, he pulls it all together by giving them the foundation for faithful and sustained service to the Lord – healthy thinking. Too many times, we look for a solution in the wrong places. In essence, we are trying to address the symptom instead of the problem itself. When a person is making sensual and destructive decisions, it must be traced back to his or her thought-life. When a person is feeling overwhelmed with anxiety and worry, it must be traced back to his or her thought-life. When a person cannot let go of the past, it must be traced back to his or her thought-life. You get the point! Every feeling or decision is intrinsically connected to what you are thinking. Therefore, address what you are thinking. Unfortunately, very few people do anything to build their mental health from a spiritual perspective. Paul challenged this Macedonian church to do just that. He challenged his special friends to fill their minds with thoughts that are true, noble, right, pure, lovely, admirable, excellent, and praiseworthy. The faithful apostle ends his challenge by reminding the church that what you put into your mind must now be put into practice! It’s important that we fill our minds with truth, and then immediately put that truth into practice. It might just be time to evaluate what you’re putting into your mind?!
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