“Change Your Mind” By Hank Botts

Philippians 4:8  Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy – meditate on these things.

Recently, I read an article about what negative thinking does to your brain.  The article cited a study conducted by Bensinger, DuPont, & Associates that found that around twenty percent of Millennials sought out help or advice in the workplace for depression – a higher percentage than any other generation.  It would seem that, more and more, people are gravitating toward negative thought patterns, and becoming stuck in what a friend of mine likes to call “the pit”.  The article goes on to state that “the more that an individual’s thought patterns trend negative and slip into rumination (i.e. “the pit”), the easier it becomes to return automatically to these thought patterns. This can damage the neural structures that regulate emotions, memory, and feelings.”  One suggestion that the author gives in the article for repairing the effects of negative thinking is to meditate.  She states that “meditating regularly can not only help shift negative thought patterns – it helps the brain focus its attention and even slow the loss of brain cells.” –Health, August 2^nd, 2015 Kathleen Toohill

Isn’t it amazing that we are so smart that we keep “discovering” things that the Word of God has been telling us all along?  In today’s passage of Scripture, Paul is encouraging one of the churches he had helped to establish.  He urges them to help each other, to rejoice together in the Lord, and to not be anxious about anything!  He tells them that if they will just surrender all of their worries to God, that He will give them His peace, which surpasses all understanding, and which will guard their hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.  That’s right!  We can have our hearts and minds guarded against all the negativity that is swirling around us.  I’m sure you’ve seen and heard about it, right?  After all, it’s all over the news and your Facebook newsfeeds! 

Please, I urge you, do not dwell on all of that!  It is a trap and it will steal your peace.  I’m not saying that we can avoid all negativity in our lives.  That is simply not possible.  But we can choose not to focus on it, to ruminate on it, and to allow it to consume the majority of our thoughts.  If you find yourself stuck in this pattern of negativity, Change Your Mind!  Instead, do as the Word says and focus on things that are true, things that are noble, things that are just, things that are pure, things that are lovely, things that are of good report, things that are virtuous, and things that are praiseworthy.  It will make all the difference in the world!

Love in Jesus,

Hank