THOUGHTS

I believe everything starts with a thought. What you think about forms your opinion and what you start to believe and say. I learned that I have to protect my thoughts; I have to control my thoughts. I have to think good thoughts. If I don’t, I get into trouble.

 

Years ago, while lying on a table in a hospital room waiting for the doctor to come and do a spinal tap, I started thinking/imagining all sorts of things about that spinal tap and all the other tests I was having done that day. I started to think how the tap might hurt. I started to think about the results and imagined them to confirm the worst.

 

Then I remembered what my friend had said to me. She said, “Gail, whenever you need to hear from God, ask Him to show you what you need in His Word.” I was so new to my walk with the Lord that I had never heard that and, consequently, had never done that. So, when I sensed my mind getting a little whacked out while I waited there in that room, I tried doing what my friend had said.

 

I picked up my bible and said, “Lord, I’ve never asked you this before, so I hope I’m doing this right.” Then I continued, “Please show me something in Your Word that will comfort me right now. I need to think of something else.” And the Lord answered right away --- to my amazement, I might add. Psalm 121 came to mind, so I turned to it and ever since it has held a special place in my heart. Read it for yourself:

 

Psalm 121(NKJV)

I will lift up my eyes to the hills –

From whence comes my help?

My help comes from the Lord,

Who made heaven and earth.

He will not allow your foot to be moved;

He who keeps you will not slumber.

Behold, he who keeps Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep.

The Lord is your keeper;

The Lord is your shade at your right hand.

The sun shall not strike you by day, nor the moon by night.

The Lord shall preserve you from all evil;

He shall preserve our soul.

The Lord shall preserve your going out and your coming in

From this time forth, and even forevermore.

 

Needless to say, I was encouraged and comforted by His words to me. Regardless of the test results, the Lord was with me and He always has been. (And, by the way, the spinal tap did not hurt. They use some numbing stuff first, so it was fine.)

 

That Word from the Lord really gave me something else to think about at that time. I have found this works every time I need to refocus my thoughts. Yes, there are many times I need to refocus my thoughts. Over the years, I’ve learned to refocus sooner than later, if you know what I mean.

 

Thinking the wrong thoughts gets me going in the wrong direction. If I think about something often enough, it gets into my spirit. Then I end up saying things based on those thoughts and believing based on those thoughts. Ultimately, I end up acting on those thoughts.

 

So instead, I go to His Word and find out what I should think! Should be easy to do, and it is, if I remember to do it. I have to keep practicing to fine-tune the habit. I still slip up now and then. These verses help me……

 

Proverbs 23:7 “For as he thinks in his heart, so is he.” (NKJV)

 

Isaiah 55:8,9 “For My thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways My ways, says the Lord. 9 For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways, and My thoughts than your thoughts.” (NKJV)

 

Philippians 4:8 “Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.” (NKJV)

 

2 Corinthians 10:5 “…and we tear down every proud idea that raises itself against the knowledge of God. We also capture every thought and make it give up and obey Christ.” (ERV)

 

I do best when I think His thoughts. Just sayin’……..



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