Fix Your Mind – Whatever is True (Part 1)
September 12, 2023
In a previous blog post, I talked about how important it is to my family that I discipline myself to keep the big picture in mind and to focus on the good. The Apostle Paul referred to the troubles of today as light and short-lived in 2 Corinthians 4:16-18. He also told us to stop worrying and to focus on the good in Philippians 4:6-9.
6 Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. 7 Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus. 8 And now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing. Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise. 9 Keep putting into practice all you learned and received from me—everything you heard from me and saw me doing. Then the God of peace will be with you. (NLT)
Personally, when I read these verses, I focused on the “not worrying” part and glossed over the point in verse 8 where I am told to discipline my thought life. Depending on the bible translation we consult, we are instructed to fix or fasten our thoughts on these things; make them the subject of careful reflection; think on and weigh and take account of these things; filling your minds and meditating on them; dwell on these things; think continually on these things [center your mind on them, and implant them in your heart]. I am going to summarize this by saying we need to FOCUS.
Paul gives a laundry list of things to focus on. And, because there are no wasted words in the Bible, I figure I’d better look at this list more closely. I found that depending on the bible translation, different words are used to describe essentially the same thing. Here is my best shot at categorizing them. Verse 8 says we are to think about whatever is:
True/Authentic/Real
Honorable/Respectable/Noble
Just/Righteous
Pure/Holy
Lovely/Beautiful/Attractive
Kind/Merciful/Gracious
Virtuous/Excellent
Praiseworthy
True/Authentic/Real
True is defined as accurate, exact, or in accordance with fact or reality. It is consistent, honest, and correct. Authentic means genuine, true to your own values and spirit regardless of the pressure you are under to act otherwise. Authentic is original or the real thing. Real means not imitation or artificial. It is something that exists as a thing or occurring fact.
Why is Paul telling me to concentrate on the truth? Because there is so much noise in the world, the truth is lost. And when truth is lost, peace is lost. If you have lost your peace, chances are pretty good that you have lost sight of the truth. In John 8:31-32, Then Jesus said to those Jews who believed Him, “If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed. 32 And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.” What is that truth that frees? It is in verse 34-36.
34 Jesus replied, “I tell you the truth, everyone who sins is a slave of sin. 35 A slave is not a permanent member of the family, but a son is part of the family forever. 36 So if the Son sets you free, you are truly free.
No matter what is happening in the world, the reality of your salvation is always there. Jesus made us REAL sons of God. In John 1:12, But to all who believed him (Jesus) and accepted him, he gave the right to become children of God. In Galatians 3:26, For you are all children of God through faith in Christ Jesus.
I have often encouraged myself after an anxious day by saying out loud that no matter what, God loves me. I am His child. And nothing can take that away from me. It is the truth. It is real and authentic.
Over the years, I found that I must to be cautious with the 24/7 news cycle. It gets into my head, and then I start to worry and think until I am scared. This is not unique to me. That is why Paul warns us to diligently seek out what is true and to think about that instead of what is NOT true. If I think about the truth of my salvation, I am freed from the immediate cares of this world. Focusing on the cares of this world weighs me down. Focusing on what is true is freedom and peace, just like Paul promised it would be.