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. – Philippians 4:8

I’m a “thinker,” by nature. I think and analyze constantly. I’ve always been this way. And over the years I’ve learned that this trait can serve as one of my best assets or it can work against me proving to be one of my greatest weaknesses, which is why Jesus spoke Philippians 4:8 over me very early in my walk with Him.

Honestly, when Jesus found me, I was a mess. My thought patterns were extremely toxic, and because of this, I learned quickly the power our thought life has upon us.

The Influence of a Thought

Follow me for a moment.

First, you have a thought.

That thought impacts what you feel in that moment.

Your momentary feelings determine your overall emotional state.

Both your feelings and emotional state impact the lens in which you view your situation and your world.

And, ultimately, impact your behavior and your decisions.

Our thoughts impact what we believe about God, what we believe about ourselves, what we believe about others, how we think others view us, and so much more.

Thoughts impact our emotions, our decisions, our actions, our relationships, and our worldview. [Tweet that]

Thoughts are powerful, indeed! 

Consequently, we need to ensure that our thoughts reflect truth, and that we’re not carried off by Satan’s deceitful schemes or by the world’s fallacies or by our own folly. We need to recognize our thoughts and weight them against God’s Word, against His truth with intentionality, not passively accepting every thought we have as truth.

So, what did Paul tell us to think about?

He told us to think about anything that is true, honorable, just, pure, lovely, commendable, excellent, and worthy of praise. In other words, think about good things.

It is true. There are so many things that are wrong with this world as a consequence of sin. And while we can see these things for what they are, we are not to think or meditate on them for long. But instead, we need to meditate on all things good.

And there is much good to be found!

The Key to Contentment

I believe this is the key to unlocking the secret of contentment and a spirit of thankfulness in our lives. Paul continues to write in Philippians 4:11-13, “I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content. I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound. In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need. I can do all things through him who strengthens me.”

This is it my friend. This is how we are intended to live. We need to be placing the truths of the Gospel at the center of our hearts. No matter how bad things get in your life, there is always good to be found. There is always something to be thankful for. And rest assured, there is always redemption coming down the line. [Tweet that]

Let’s be intentional with our thoughts. [Tweet that] Let’s grab ahold of what’s good, cast aside what’s bad, and learn, as Paul did, the secret of how to be content in this beautiful, fallen world of ours.

After all, the beauty of God’s world only intensifies when we can see brokenness redeemed.

… take every thought captive to obey Christ. – 2 Corinthians 10:5

{Your thoughts matter. Intentionally choose good thoughts.}

Now, take a moment. Recognize all that’s good in your life and all the good you can find in others. See the beauty of God’s creation and thank Him for opening your eyes to His goodness and love. If you have a moment, share your thoughts in the comments.