“Your life today
is a result of your thinking yesterday.
Your life tomorrow will be determined by what you think today.” John Maxwell
Your life tomorrow will be determined by what you think today.” John Maxwell
Do you remember listening to the radio? I
hardly listen to the radio anymore but before Spotify and podcasts, I was an
avid listener. I’d start my day getting ready, listening to news radio. Then, I
had a couple of favorites I’d listen to on the way to the office or running
errands. Usually, I had three or four I’d bounce between to avoid commercials
or announcers chatting about what they had for dinner. I’m one of those, “just
give me the music” types, though today I listen to a lot of podcasts.
I’d fall between two extremes while listening to the radio. There would always be a song or two that when it came on, I’d stick to that station to listen to it. There would be a tinge of regret if I’d missed most of it. Then, other songs came on and I couldn’t change stations fast enough. The song had become so popular stations were overplaying it. For example, most of us loved Celine Dion’s My Heart Will Go On, even if we hadn’t seen Titanic, but it soon was overplayed and nearly annoying.
Spotify has an option “recently played” I rarely use. If I’ve listened to a song recently, I don’t want to hear it again. Yet Spotify thought it would be a great idea (without being asked,) to develop playlists of artists or genre I tend to listen to. I don’t use it because unless a song really touches my heart, I don’t want to hear it again in a short amount of time with a few exceptions. CeCe Winan's, Believe For It, was my encouragement song during Covid. Hillsong’s Another in the Fire comforted me during a dark valley a few years ago. Other than that, I tend to be “one and done.”
While that’s true with my listening habits, I have to work for it to be true with my thought life. I struggle with a “recently played” mental list that’s not healthy. While I love 1 Peter 5:7, “Casting all your anxieties on Him, because He cares for you.” Or Philippians 4:6-7: “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” It does though take mental work to do this. As Kent Hughes says, I must sweat some “holy sweat.” Too easily anxious or negative thoughts play again on my mental playlist. It’s by God’s grace and the empowerment of His Spirit that I’m able to change the channel.
Wouldn’t it be wonderful to wake up in the middle of the night thinking about how the Lord has blessed you and then have difficultly going back to sleep because you’re so overwhelmed by God’s goodness? Unfortunately, that’s not the playlist that I usually wake up in the middle of the night with.
My problem is that I let my sin contaminated mind choose my playlist. If I want a healthy mental playlist, I must choose it. As Byron Katie writes, “It’s not our thoughts but the attachment to our thoughts that causes suffering.” The attachment to our thoughts is our Recently Played playlist.
Most of us have negative rat mazes we repeatedly return to. A Christian therapist once told me that most of us have about eight that we cycle in and out of. As Rick Warren says, “God is far more interested in changing your mind than changing your circumstances.” Thinking produces behavior.
Philippians 4:8 has a healthy Top Eight playlist to replace what Zig Ziglar dubbed “stinkin’ thinkin’.” “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.”
Mentally play what’s true. The “true” is that which corresponds to reality. God and His Word are the final test for truth. But we’re prone to Satan’s lies. The only way we can think on the truth is to steep ourselves in God’s Word. Truth is the first test. We’re not to ponder that which is dishonest, untrue or unreliable. For example, we can tend to be anxious about the future, but the future isn’t “true.” We’re not to focus on the “what ifs.”
Mentally play what’s honorable. The word means “that which inspires reverence or awe; dignified, worthy of respect.” Christ-followers are to take life seriously. We’re to live in light of eternity. This doesn’t mean we can’t appreciate clean humor. Yet too many ponder the trivial and even fight about it because we focus on it. For example, someone gave us a one finger wave and we’re mad about it for hours.
Mentally play what’s just. Only God is completely just. “Justice” means “in conformity to God’s standards.” Not, “Is it right in my eyes?” or “in the eyes of others?” but “Is it right in God’s eyes?” The media and social media are filled with tales of injustice. If I dwell on it, it will anger or discourage me. Instead, I must focus on God’s work and justice.
Mentally play what’s pure. The word means “undefiled, chaste, holy.” It touches the whole area of moral purity. Is your thought-life clean? It fits with “get your mind out of the gutter.” If your mind is in the gutter, it ends up covered with slime. I need to think on what’s morally right, pure thoughts, words, and deeds. This is particularly vital because a thought life produces behavior. To live a pure life, you must think about pure things.
Mentally play what’s lovely. This is what’s pleasing, agreeable, and attractive. Jesus Christ is inherently attractive, so we should think often on our Savior. And what a lovely world He has given us from the blooming of flowers to the purity of fresh fallen snow. The innocence of a child or someone’s kindness fits “lovely.” Here’s an easy guideline: If it’s lovely, it helps make you lovely so it should be on your playlist?
Mentally play what’s commendable. It refers to something that “deservedly enjoys a good reputation.” It’s tempting to dwell on the mental trash of bad news. We need to open our eyes to see the positive, constructive, and what builds up. If you learn to tune in to that which is admirable and good, you’ll find it. Learn to think about those things.
Mentally play what’s excellent. Excellent refers to virtue and praiseworthy, “those things that God would approve of.” Excellent for me is someone who has character, who is kind or works hard. It’s watching an older couple who are still sweethearts or a parent taking time with their child. It can be a worker diligent and caring about his or her work. Those things are excellent, and I must think about them more.
Mentally play what’s worthy of praise. Every attribute and deed of God is praiseworthy. It’s why we should continually think about how great God is and on the marvelous works He has done, both in creation and in history. With those around us we must focus on their strong points. It helps us think about this more when we’re appreciative and affirming.
Do you know why so many are negative and complainers? They have the wrong mental playlist. It all begins in the way that you think.
The Bible commands us to fill our minds with godly, positive thoughts. Thoughts become actions, actions become behaviors, and our behaviors become our lives. A key question to ask yourself periodically is: “What’s on my Recently Played playlist?”
I’d fall between two extremes while listening to the radio. There would always be a song or two that when it came on, I’d stick to that station to listen to it. There would be a tinge of regret if I’d missed most of it. Then, other songs came on and I couldn’t change stations fast enough. The song had become so popular stations were overplaying it. For example, most of us loved Celine Dion’s My Heart Will Go On, even if we hadn’t seen Titanic, but it soon was overplayed and nearly annoying.
Spotify has an option “recently played” I rarely use. If I’ve listened to a song recently, I don’t want to hear it again. Yet Spotify thought it would be a great idea (without being asked,) to develop playlists of artists or genre I tend to listen to. I don’t use it because unless a song really touches my heart, I don’t want to hear it again in a short amount of time with a few exceptions. CeCe Winan's, Believe For It, was my encouragement song during Covid. Hillsong’s Another in the Fire comforted me during a dark valley a few years ago. Other than that, I tend to be “one and done.”
While that’s true with my listening habits, I have to work for it to be true with my thought life. I struggle with a “recently played” mental list that’s not healthy. While I love 1 Peter 5:7, “Casting all your anxieties on Him, because He cares for you.” Or Philippians 4:6-7: “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” It does though take mental work to do this. As Kent Hughes says, I must sweat some “holy sweat.” Too easily anxious or negative thoughts play again on my mental playlist. It’s by God’s grace and the empowerment of His Spirit that I’m able to change the channel.
Wouldn’t it be wonderful to wake up in the middle of the night thinking about how the Lord has blessed you and then have difficultly going back to sleep because you’re so overwhelmed by God’s goodness? Unfortunately, that’s not the playlist that I usually wake up in the middle of the night with.
My problem is that I let my sin contaminated mind choose my playlist. If I want a healthy mental playlist, I must choose it. As Byron Katie writes, “It’s not our thoughts but the attachment to our thoughts that causes suffering.” The attachment to our thoughts is our Recently Played playlist.
Most of us have negative rat mazes we repeatedly return to. A Christian therapist once told me that most of us have about eight that we cycle in and out of. As Rick Warren says, “God is far more interested in changing your mind than changing your circumstances.” Thinking produces behavior.
Philippians 4:8 has a healthy Top Eight playlist to replace what Zig Ziglar dubbed “stinkin’ thinkin’.” “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.”
Mentally play what’s true. The “true” is that which corresponds to reality. God and His Word are the final test for truth. But we’re prone to Satan’s lies. The only way we can think on the truth is to steep ourselves in God’s Word. Truth is the first test. We’re not to ponder that which is dishonest, untrue or unreliable. For example, we can tend to be anxious about the future, but the future isn’t “true.” We’re not to focus on the “what ifs.”
Mentally play what’s honorable. The word means “that which inspires reverence or awe; dignified, worthy of respect.” Christ-followers are to take life seriously. We’re to live in light of eternity. This doesn’t mean we can’t appreciate clean humor. Yet too many ponder the trivial and even fight about it because we focus on it. For example, someone gave us a one finger wave and we’re mad about it for hours.
Mentally play what’s just. Only God is completely just. “Justice” means “in conformity to God’s standards.” Not, “Is it right in my eyes?” or “in the eyes of others?” but “Is it right in God’s eyes?” The media and social media are filled with tales of injustice. If I dwell on it, it will anger or discourage me. Instead, I must focus on God’s work and justice.
Mentally play what’s pure. The word means “undefiled, chaste, holy.” It touches the whole area of moral purity. Is your thought-life clean? It fits with “get your mind out of the gutter.” If your mind is in the gutter, it ends up covered with slime. I need to think on what’s morally right, pure thoughts, words, and deeds. This is particularly vital because a thought life produces behavior. To live a pure life, you must think about pure things.
Mentally play what’s lovely. This is what’s pleasing, agreeable, and attractive. Jesus Christ is inherently attractive, so we should think often on our Savior. And what a lovely world He has given us from the blooming of flowers to the purity of fresh fallen snow. The innocence of a child or someone’s kindness fits “lovely.” Here’s an easy guideline: If it’s lovely, it helps make you lovely so it should be on your playlist?
Mentally play what’s commendable. It refers to something that “deservedly enjoys a good reputation.” It’s tempting to dwell on the mental trash of bad news. We need to open our eyes to see the positive, constructive, and what builds up. If you learn to tune in to that which is admirable and good, you’ll find it. Learn to think about those things.
Mentally play what’s excellent. Excellent refers to virtue and praiseworthy, “those things that God would approve of.” Excellent for me is someone who has character, who is kind or works hard. It’s watching an older couple who are still sweethearts or a parent taking time with their child. It can be a worker diligent and caring about his or her work. Those things are excellent, and I must think about them more.
Mentally play what’s worthy of praise. Every attribute and deed of God is praiseworthy. It’s why we should continually think about how great God is and on the marvelous works He has done, both in creation and in history. With those around us we must focus on their strong points. It helps us think about this more when we’re appreciative and affirming.
Do you know why so many are negative and complainers? They have the wrong mental playlist. It all begins in the way that you think.
The Bible commands us to fill our minds with godly, positive thoughts. Thoughts become actions, actions become behaviors, and our behaviors become our lives. A key question to ask yourself periodically is: “What’s on my Recently Played playlist?”
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