Finally, brothers, 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 (NIV)
One of my favorite scenes in The Sound of Music is when Maria snuggles with the frightened children on a stormy night. Every time lightning lit up the sky, followed by a loud clap of thunder, they would cower in bed, clutching each other for comfort. In an effort to reassure the children and herself as well, Maria begins to sing, “Raindrops on roses, and whiskers on kittens…” And then comes that wonderful chorus, “When the dog bites, when the bee stings, when I’m feeling sad, I simply remember my favorite things, and then I don’t feel so bad.”
When Paul wrote to the church at Philippi, he urged the believers to meditate on godly things so that they might grow in their faith and be strong in the LORD. He knew the best way to combat negative thoughts was by dwelling on God’s good promises.
From Genesis to Revelation, the Bible is chock-full of beautiful assurances that God is for us, not against us, that He loves us unconditionally, and walks with us every second of every day.
The thoughts we entertain will inevitably affect our day. If we dwell on the negatives, we will quickly lose heart. If, instead, we dwell on God’s promises, our struggles will become easier as we are reminded that God is in the midst of our current reality and He will redeem our pain.
The best balm for discouragement is to replace your expectations with what you know about God. Call to mind His promises, His grace, His faithfulness, and His daily mercies. I assure you, then you won’t feel so bad.
Thought: “The mind is the portal to the soul, and what you fill your mind with will shape the trajectory of your character.” – John Mark Comer
For further reading:
- Psalm 19:14
- Luke 6:45
- Romans 12:2
- 1 Peter 1:13