Have you ever heard of “stinking thinking”, and have you ever been caught doing that? Stinking thinking is having negative and bad thoughts, ones that lead to stress, anxiety, and depression. If we find that we are frequently getting stuck in a stinking thinking pattern, we need to find a way to get out, otherwise we might start to become seriously depressed. When I was growing up, many people read Dale Carnegie’s positive thinking books and listened to Norman Vincent Peale’s talk, two positive thinking leaders. However, they are not the only ones who have the answers. Many centuries earlier than those two, God gave us a solution right in His Word.
As the Apostle Paul comes towards the end of his epistle to the church in Philippi, he gives them some instructions on living a victorious Christian life, such as making rejoicing a part of our daily life, and praying instead of being anxious. Then right in the middle of the fourth and final chapter, Paul instructs us on what to center our mind and thoughts on. We are to focus our thoughts on things that are true, noble, just, things that are pure, lovely, and of a good report. We are to think of virtuous things, and things that are praiseworthy. We are to think of the things that Paul taught, so things that are from the Word of God. When we do, then God will bless us with His peace, and not those stinking thinking thoughts.
Perhaps you have heard the saying “you are what you eat”. To some degree that is true. However it is even more true that we are what we think. Someone who is constantly thinking negative thoughts will be a pessimistic person. The optimistic person will keep thoughts more in line with our Scripture verses of today.
Our thoughts control what kind of day we will have, and ultimately our life. If we feed our mind with negative thoughts, that’s what our day will be like. However, if we feed our mind good and positive thoughts, that is what type of day we are more likely to have, as well.
What we allow into our mind greatly impacts our thinking. Properly programming our mind can protect us from the devil’s traps. If we are taking into our mind a lot of things that are at odds with what the Bible says, with God wants, our mental filter for straining out impurities will be under attack. That is why we need to be careful with what we read and look at on the Internet, what we watch on TV and with streaming, and what we listen to. Many parents are careful with what they let their children view, but are they taking the same care with what they are feeding their minds?
Our brain is wired to strengthen what we focus on. If we focus on the negative we see only the negative, and those thoughts will grow stronger. However if we focus on Jesus, that will grow, and our thoughts and life will be clear. If our thoughts are negative, or sin-filled ones that tempt us to sin, or are thoughts that try to tear ourselves or others down, we need to replace them. It is impossible to have two opposing thoughts continually in the mind at the same time. One of those thoughts has to go. We must turn our thoughts away from that of the devil, and instead put it on to what is of God.
Our thoughts greatly influence our successes, our failures, and our choices. They also affect our relationships with others and with the Lord. Which would you rather be around - a positive, upbeat, and joyful person, or one that is always negative, discouraged, and pessimistic? Most would prefer the former person rather than the latter one. Also, if we have a negative outlook on life, then it follows that our view of God will shift that way, too, and our prayer life and relationship with the Lord will weaken.
In closing, bad, negative, and sinful thoughts are like weeds that need to be pulled out. Instead, let’s plant thoughts that are true, noble, just, ones that are pure, lovely, good, virtuous, and praiseworthy. That is the way to have a better day, and live a life that is blessed by the Lord.
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