It would be fair to say that sometimes my mind could be described as a monkey mind – a mind that jumps from thought to thought like a monkey jumps from tree to tree. Random and varied thoughts! It’s like aerobics are taking place in my head. I’m thinking about what is going on at work, what groceries I need, which child has an appointment to attend or needs money for a school trip, what to cook for dinner, when I can have another coffee! I find myself often quoting Scarlett O’Hara and saying “I’ll think about that tomorrow!”
According to researchers we all have approximately 50,000 – 70,000 thoughts a day! And of these many, many thoughts I have a choice as to which ones can set up shop and linger a while. I have a choice as to which thoughts to send packing. Our thoughts need to line up with the Word of God, and what God thinks and says about us. These are the thoughts that we can let linger, that we can ponder on a while. But when thoughts of fear, confusion, torment or doubt start crowding in, we need to set up a road block and not let them take up residence. We can’t prevent negative thoughts from popping into our heads, but we don’t have to invite them in to hang around in our head for an entire day.
It’s critically important that we’re vigilant about observing our thoughts. That we pay attention to what we’re thinking about. The mind is the placenta for the life that we live. As someone once said “every thought is a seed. If you plant crab apples, don’t count on harvesting Golden Delicious.” Joyce Meyer also wrote in her book, The Battlefield of the Mind, “You cannot have a positive life with a negative mind.” Thoughts have an impact on our lives!
So I try to apply the wise advice from St Paul – “Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable–if anything is excellent or praiseworthy–think about such things.” (Philippians 4:8)
Permission granted for the positive thoughts, the happy thoughts, the noble thoughts and the lovely thoughts to board!
I’m thinking of…..
….handbags!
Blue Skies & Lollipops 
Well said. 2 Corinthians 10:5 (NIV) “We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.”
Ooh yes! thank you for reminding me of that Scripture and thanks for the encouragement! 🙂