Simply the Bible Blog

“And now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing. Fix your 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. Keep putting into practice all you learned and received from me—everything you heard from me and saw me doing. Then the God of peace will be with you.” (Philippians 4:8-9, NLT)

I remember a book that early in my adulthood really impacted me. It was Norman Vincent Peale’s “The Power of Postive Thinking.” He articulated well the amazing power our mind has over our emotions, attitudes and behavior. What we choose to think about really makes a difference.

As Paul wrote to the Philippians, there was one issue in particular he had to address. Two women were disagreeing with one another. Paul counseled them to “agree in the Lord”. Then he told the Philippians what they were to think about.

It seems our minds so naturally gravitate to the lie that someone told about us, the rotten thing that someone did, the dirt, the gossip, and our own pains and hurts. We have to discipline our minds to think differently. Let us ask ourselves these questions:

• What do I know that is true?
• What do I know that is honorable?
• What are the right things that others have done for me?
• What are the right things that I can do for others?
• Is this thought pure? Can I share it with others?
• Is my speech lovely, edifying and gracious?
• What admirable qualities do I see in others?
• What admirable qualities do I want others to see in me?
• What do I see in someone else that is worthy of praise?
• How can I tell him or her about it?

If we really put these things into practice, then the God of peace will be with us, and we will find ourselves agreeing in the Lord!