Father, fuel my love so that it abounds more and more in knowledge and all discernment. Help me to discern what’s best for my life. Equip me to live for the glory and praise of you alone.
Today, I am thinking about the content I take in and how it impacts my life. I am surrounded by tons of information these days... some true, some not true. Some are good for my soul and often many are not good for my soul. It is super easy to get excited and/or enraged. Just because something resonates with me doesn't mean I need to engage or follow it blindly. Paul encourages me to be mindful of this and offers a filter that, if I use it in my life, can help me pursue a pure and blameless life. Let's be honest, much of the news and content I will see today will run directly opposite to the things listed here. As a result, it requires a serious intention on my part to fill my mind with the adjectives that Paul describes. Paul is inviting me to fill my heart and mind with the goodness of God, rather than focus on what humans have made ugly. Paul gives an incredible list to act as a filter for how I fill my mind.
Phil 4:8-9 "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. What you have learned and received and heard and seen in me - practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you."
Father, you have created a world full of beautiful things to enjoy - things to appreciate and celebrate. Help me to fill my thoughts with what is true, honorable, just, pure, lovely, commendable and excellent. I pause now and consider what I’ve been filling my mind with in the past 24 hours. Help me to implement Paul's call to apply what I am learning from his writings. He makes it clear that putting this into action is linked to experiencing your peace. Help me to follow you and teach me the unforced rhythms of grace that leads to peace, joy and ultimately enable me to live a life full of love. Renew your Spirit within me so that I would be empowered to live it out today.
"Transformation is possible if we are willing to arrange our lives around the practices, rhythms, and truths that Jesus himself did, which will open our lives to God’s power to change. Said another way, we can be transformed if we are willing to apprentice ourselves to Jesus." John Mark Comer
