CHRIS TIEGREEN
fix my thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise.
PHILIPPIans 4:8
What fills your mind in your mental downtime—when your head hits the pillow at night when you wake up in the morning, and when your thoughts wander while you’re driving? Often, those mental wanderings reflect your highest priorities or your deepest worries. Unless things go perfectly smoothly in your life, your thoughts will swirl with concerns.
What if you chose to dwell on the Presence of God within you during those times? What if you fixed your mind on him, his blessings, his Kingdom agenda, and the multitude of ways you can enjoy him at any moment? What if you turned those mental adventures into relational experiences with him–not necessarily deep, heavy conversations, though those are appropriate at times – but casual conversations about his goodness and love? Relationships are enjoyed most when both parties share their dreams, talk about common interests, and express appreciation for each other’s qualities. And though we talk often about having a relationship with God, most of us rarely have these kinds of conversations with him. It’s often a relationship that doesn’t meet the criteria for most familiar, loving relationships.
Mental wanderings like these may revolutionize our lives and, in fact, deal with those concerns more effectively than our worrying does. The swirling thoughts and what-ifs that often churn within us don’t accomplish very much, but a vibrant relationship with God certainly does. His Presence in us, when cultivated, probably accomplishes much more through indirect influence than we can accomplish directly by planning, plotting, and worrying. Our thoughts can weigh us down, but communion with him gives life.
Lord, I fix my thoughts on you—on your goodness, your love, your Kingdom, and your ways. I choose today to focus not on what seems like the highest priority but on what really is my highest priority—YOU. And I trust you to deal with all the things that concern me.