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Fix Your Thoughts
Twila Belk
“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
Be still. That’s
easier said than done, isn’t it? Sometimes I wish I could flip on a little “be
still” switch to pacify myself, especially when I have days like today.
Right now, I’m
struggling to gain control of my churning insides.
I’m currently
dealing with several major life stressors — undergoing treatment for an
aggressive breast cancer, caregiving for my husband who has a rare and
progressive muscle disease, carrying a huge burden of financial
responsibilities, handling concerns about my youngest son’s circumstances, and
facing a looming book deadline.
Add to that, in the
last couple of days, both vehicles stopped working, my faithful recliner broke,
and wasps are entering the house through the bathroom vent.
Then this morning,
after putting in many hours on a special project for a person I greatly
respect, I received a harsh email rather than a thank-you for my hard work.
Reading that email,
while being physically and mentally exhausted, pushed me into a not-so-good
place.
I turned into an
emotional mess. Although the person apologized a few hours after sending it, my
memory naturally wants to replay the narrative again and again, which agitates
my spirit more and more.
And here I am with
the task of telling people how to be still. Seriously?
I’ve learned over
the years that God likes to give me plenty of opportunities to become
well-versed in my topic.
And this is one of
those times. So, after much consideration, I decided I need to change topics.
I want to be well-versed in something else! (Perhaps I’ll change
it to “How to be happy with a million dollars while living in the Caribbean
and looking great in a bikini.”)
For now, I’m reverting to self-talk mode. “Breathe in.
Breathe out. Calm down, Twila. It’s time to remind yourself of the sermons you
so readily give to others.”
In other words, I’m
giving myself a pep talk to practice what I preach.
And one of the
important truths I like to remind people of is this: whatever we focus on becomes
magnified.
If I keep my
attention on my problems and heartaches (or hurtful words), they become
overwhelming to me and tend to control my life.
But if I fix my
thoughts on God, he becomes magnified in my heart and mind, and I’m reminded of
who he is and what he’s able to do.
My attitude
changes, and my unsettled spirit quiets down. It takes resolve, but it’s so
worthwhile.
Philippians 4:8-9 encourages us
to think about whatever is true, noble, right, pure, lovely, admirable,
excellent, or praiseworthy. If we put that kind of thinking into practice,
peace will be ours.
Lord, when the
pressures of life become too much for me, and my circumstances are the foremost
thing on my mind, I become stressed and overwhelmed. Would you help me to fix
my thoughts on you? I want you to be magnified, not the stuff I’m going
through. You are excellent and worthy of praise. You are able to calm my
agitated spirit. You are the giver of peace. Thank you for being with me.
Power Statement: I have the power to be still.
Rather than dwelling on my circumstances and letting them overwhelm me, I will
fix my thoughts on God.
Reflection and Response: Isaiah 26:3 says, “You
will keep in perfect peace all who trust in you, all whose thoughts are fixed
on you!” (NLT).
What have your thoughts
been fixed on lately? What current issues are keeping you from being still?
This devotion is an
excerpt from The Power to Be,
© 2018 Twila Belk.
Can God change your
life?
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possible for you to know Him and experience an amazing change in
your own life. Discover how you can find peace with God. You
can also send us your prayer requests.
Twila
Belk
Also
known as the Gotta Tell Somebody Gal, Twila Belk (www.gottatellsomebody.com)
loves braggin’ on God. Whether she’s writing, speaking, or teaching, she offers
hope and encouragement for people to fix their eyes on him. Twila is the author
of The Power to Be: Be
Still, Be Grateful, Be Strong, Be Courageousand Raindrops from Heaven: Gentle
Reminders of God’s Power, Presence, and Purpose as well as five other
books (view here). Mom to three grown children and Grandma to three
precious little boys, Twila lives with her husband in Iowa, not far from the
Mississippi River and the home of American Pickers, John Deere
tractors, and Whitey’s ice cream.
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