No More Stinkin' Thinkin'

I hesitate to write this blog post, lest I look like a hypocrite.  If I have one problem, it's that of stinkin' thinkin'.  You may know the type...

You can't do this.  You're not pretty enough... smart enough... Why can't you be like...  You're not a good Mom.  Noone understands you. Why even try.

Negativity.

Many leadership books stress that attitude is the key to success.  A negative attitude can infiltrate everything that you are doing, everything that you try, and attitudes are contagious.  How you feel about something and how you approach it affects everyone around you.  This is one thing addressed by Tracey Miles in her book Stressed Less Living, how our attitude affects how we handle our situations, the giants in our lives we may be facing.

This may be why Phillipians 4:8 was penned. "Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are hones, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of a good report, if there be any virtue and if there be any praise, think on these things."

What a verse to verse map! 

Finally... one final thing.  In the end. Conclusively. Jesus said it was over at the cross when He hung His head and said It.  is.  finished.  This verse is written in conclusion to two of my favorite verses.  Phil 4:6 basically says, Don't worry about anything.  Be thankful and pray for everything.  Then, if we follow this, verse 7 says... if you don't worry, if you're thankful, if you pray, then you will have the peace that passes understanding.  Peace that guards our hearts and our minds.  Peace that will help us carry out verse 8. 

Brethren- we're all in this together.  You. Me.  Our churches. Our families.  The people in your inner circle. The people you run into at the grocery store.  We're all fighting the same fight.

One translation says Finally, brethren, fix your thoughts.  Fix your thoughts... hmmm.   Cut the stinkin' thinkin'.  Instead, focus on...

Whatsoever...

is true- actual reality, authentic, sincere.

honest- honorable...worth fighting for. Having value.

just- lawful, righteous, right.

pure- free from contamination, not ruined, seperate.

lovely- beautiful in the heart and mind and physically pleasing; delightful.

good report- admirable- worthy of admiration; excellent.  (I noted, not gossip but gospel.  I'm bad to gossip. I should be spreading the good news, or gospel instead.  Major conviction here.)

If there be any- while in our world, there aren't many good things, we are not of this world.  It's easy to get caught up in that stink' thinkin' when you look at the news and the job market and the crime rate and all that is around us...

But we are to look up. We are to look to the author and finisher of our faith. We are to look toward things that our eternal.

Think- have a conscious mind... use reason.

On these things... the things of God. 

Lord, help me to banish all these negative thoughts, and instead bask in the facts...

I am chosen.  I am dearly loved.  I am fearfully and wonderfully made.  I am full of promise.  I am holy, set apart.  I am Yours.