So much rain! The ground is saturated and oozes with every step. I remember my own hesitation to take my kids outside to play when they were small. Mud doesn’t bother children, just the adults who have to clean their clothes. Whether or not I took them outside depended a lot on the previous day and what time daddy would be home from work.
We all deal with an internal monologue that largely dictates our actions. This thought train is fueled by input garnered from our five senses. What did I see or read or hear that I want to implement or avoid? Were my intentions met with the reaction I expected last time? Who’s approval was I hoping for and did I get it? Did the meal I spent extra time to prepare taste horrible?
One element I actually have control over on any given day is what I allow to dominate my thoughts. Sometimes the input is unavoidable, as in the time I picked up litter from the sidewalk and saw words I never would have read voluntarily. Overhearing unpleasant conversations or language, even in passing, can be just as polluting. Those are the exception to the rule. The things I dwell on, replaying them in my mind- those things that monopolize my mental real estate- those are the things that I alone control.
Worries. Am I forgetting something I need to do? Am I doing the right things for my family? God has a word for us when these things begin to dominate our thoughts.
““So don’t worry about these things, saying,
‘What will we eat?
What will we drink?
What will we wear?’
These things dominate the thoughts of unbelievers, but your heavenly Father already knows all your needs.
Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need.”
Matthew 6:31-33 NLT
https://bible.com/bible/116/mat.6.32-33.NLT
Not only can I divert thoughts that are negative or unhealthy, I can also deliberately choose what replaces them.
““Listen, O heavens, and I will speak!
Hear, O earth, the words that I say!
Let my teaching fall on you like rain; let my speech settle like dew.
Let my words fall like rain on tender grass, like gentle showers on young plants.
I will proclaim the name of the Lord; how glorious is our God!
He is the Rock; his deeds are perfect.
Everything he does is just and fair.
He is a faithful God who does no wrong; how just and upright he is!”
Deuteronomy 32:1-4 NLT
https://bible.com/bible/116/deu.32.1-4.NLT
We carefully choose what decor surrounds us in our homes and workplaces because it is aesthetically pleasing. How much more important is the task of arranging our minds. When things become cluttered in my home, I am restless until I am able to restore order, at least to some degree.
I choose to surround myself with scripture. Visually, verses can be easily added to your favorite photos or purchased from artists in ministry. Audibly, Christian music artists in every genre abound on free and subscription platforms. Follow your favorites on their social channels for more details. Also reading the Bible or having it read aloud for you is so simple. While local churches may keep locked doors more than in the great cathedrals of Europe, most offer quiet space for silent meditation or group study gatherings.
Memorizing and meditating on God’s Word has been the surest way for me to keep my thoughts in check. By deliberately replacing wayward thoughts with scripture, I can keep from allowing my emotions and passions to run wild. Changing the trajectory of my thought life leads to more peaceful interactions.
““Anyone who listens to my teaching and follows it is wise, like a person who builds a house on solid rock.
Though the rain comes in torrents and the floodwaters rise and the winds beat against that house, it won’t collapse because it is built on bedrock.
But anyone who hears my teaching and doesn’t obey it is foolish, like a person who builds a house on sand.
When the rains and floods come and the winds beat against that house, it will collapse with a mighty crash.””
Matthew 7:24-27 NLT
https://bible.com/bible/116/mat.7.24-27.NLT
“Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything.
Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done.
Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand.
His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.”
Philippians 4:6-7 NLT
A Fitting Reply 