What You Think About Shapes Who You Become

I recently completed a writing project that was composed of memories from my life, a memoir of sorts. As I sifted through memories from 60-plus years of life (many times calling my mom for details!), I was very struck by how dredging up the past—whether good or bad—brought so many emotions into play. 

I laughed as I recalled humorous incidents from my childhood. I wept as I relived painful hurts in relationships. I shook off the melancholy that resulted from a nostalgic walk down memory lane. I felt anger at the unfairness of situations with people close to me. 

I know, life’s not fair. The rain falls on the just and the unjust, and bad things happen to good people. But sometimes my emotions just don’t align well with my theology.

There is value in embracing difficult moments—in working through the hard things in life rather than suppressing them. However, we are not to dwell there. And therein lies the difference. We can practice active thought management and not passively submit to feelings of discouragement or depression over things that we can’t control. 

Winning the War in Our Thoughts

The Apostle Paul gives us a list of things to think about, which is like an umbrella for the mind. Life is hard, and we get thrown curveballs—personal challenges, family dilemmas, health issues, financial reverses,  and relationship struggles. And it doesn’t take much media consumption to cause us to spiral into negative thoughts about the present and future. There are so many battlegrounds for our minds; winning the battles will take intentionally pursuing the good and lovely, it won’t just happen.  

Philippians 4 starts with Paul’s encouragement to believers. The capstone of his admonishments, verse 8, tells us to think about those things that are true, noble (worthy of reverence), right (of good reputation), pure (authentic), lovely (kind, winsome, and gracious), admirable (worthy of emulation), excellent, and praiseworthy.

Think on these things. Contemplate. Meditate. Ponder. Reflect. Focus. These synonyms suggest something far more than a fleeting thought; they compel us to park our minds right where the positive dwells, and keep them there.

The Reward That is Promised

And verse 9 reveals the reward: “Practice what you have learned and received and heard and seen in me, and model your way of living on it, and the God of peace (untroubled and undisturbed well-being) will be with you.”  (Amp.) That is the promise attached to this kind of active thought management.

When we take Paul’s recommendations to heart, when we engage this mental filter—consistently pouring in what is true, lovely, pure, and excellent while guarding our minds against the negative and dark--we transform not just our thoughts, but also our outlooks, our relationships, and our actions to align with godly behavior.

I want this to be a reality in my life, intentional and thoughtful, with my mind anchored to what is good and true. So, I ask myself: if I truly lived according to Phil. 4:8-9, how would my life change? My thoughts? My outlooks? My actions? 

I don't have all the answers, but I know this: what I think about today will shape my tomorrows. That alone is reason enough to be intentional.