WHAT'S ON YOUR MIND?

"A happy heart makes the face cheerful, but heartache crushes the spirit.... All the days of the oppressed are wretched, but the cheerful heart has a continual feast.... A cheerful look brings joy to the heart, and good news gives health to the bones." Proverbs 15: 13, 15, 30

Our attitude colors our whole personality. We cannot always choose what happens to us, but we can choose our attitude toward each situation.

The secret to a cheerful heart is filling our minds with thoughts that are true, pure, and lovely, with thoughts that dwell on the good things in life (Philippians 4:8). This was Paul's secret as he faced imprisonment, and it can be ours as we face the struggles of daily living.

We must look at our attitudes and then examine what we allow to enter our mind and what we choose to dwell on. We may need to make some changes.

"As a person thinks.... so is he." How we think affects our overall mental well-being more than anything else.

A famous preacher once commented that we may not be able to "stop a bird from flying over our head... but we can keep it from building a nest in our hair". W e cannot

Thoughts come from many directions. Some thoughts are like "fiery arrows"... sent from the enemy to distract us from the truth about Jesus and the life He purchased for us with His own blood... when He died on Calvary's cross in our place.

We may not be able to stop all these thoughts from coming through out minds... but we can certainly choose to reject those which are unfit, ungodly, or immoral. We have the power to set our mind upon those things that Jesus told us to think about... those things which are good and wholesome and healthy and of good report.

"The joy of the Lord is our strength." Thinking wholesome thoughts can fill us with joy, strengthen us, and bring a smile to our faces.

Choose to think on the things of God and the words of His Bible. These will lead us to a more peaceful and more contented life.

Remembering the sacrifice Jesus made for each of us should fill our hearts with such gratitude that it would outweigh many emotions that would seek to divert us from the Lord.

Every wrong and evil act in life began with a single thought that should have been rejected and replaced with a positive thought.

Choose your thoughts carefully.