Whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable— if anything is excellent or praiseworthy —think about such things. Philippians 4:8 NIV
A young believer asked a group of us, “How do you think pure?” Like so many of us she was struggling with her thought life. Someone told her that she had to get her heart “right” first. From the look on her face, you could tell that the comment only added to her discouragement.
Let’s be honest getting our “heart right” is like Mission Impossible. According to God’s righteous standard, if we break His Law, you’re guilty. If you think it, you’re guilty. If you break one commandment, you’ve broken them all. Even our righteous acts outside of Christ are considered filthy rags to a Holy God. Amid our selfless acts, our selfishness can’t help but to seep in. The only One capable of accomplishing the Impossible…is Jesus. That’s why God placed us in His Son and made us “Right” before Him.
I discreetly pulled her aside and said, “You want to think pure then think Jesus. Think about His thoughts about you.” See Jeremiah 29:11
Before you even opened your heart to receive Him, Jesus loved you.
See Him on the cross, where He willingly laid down His life for you. He took your guilt, shame, and fears and gave you His Spirit, mind, righteousness, grace, and peace. Jesus was beaten, broken and wounded so that you can be whole. You were always on His mind.
Think about those unspoken prayers, the forgotten prayers, those not quite formulated because it hurts so bad I don’t know what to say prayers that God effortlessly and willingly answered. If you want to think, true, noble, right, and pure then think about the One who’s always thinking about you, fighting for you and making everything work out for your good. Think Jesus and live knowing that you are the one that God so loved that He gave you, Heaven’s best, His Beloved Son.
Categories: mental health, thought life, anxiety, depression, God’s love
Jeremiah 29:11 , Matthew 5:27-28, James 2:10 , Isaiah 64:6 , John 3:16-17 , Ephesians 2:4-10