{My sweet Chloe, 6 yrs, is taking a few art classes this fall. This was her masterpiece from this week. Isn’t it beautiful?}
Several years ago I read a book called Loving God with All Your Mind by Elizabeth George that really impacted my life. Even more impacting was the scripture she shared – that completely changed my life! In fact, it became my life verse without me even realizing it. It wasn’t until after several years of using the verse regularly that it suddenly dawned on my how integrated into my life this verse was; how life-changing and life-directing it was to me. And I claimed it as my own.
Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things. ~ Philippians 4:8
I have it hidden in my heart, and over the years, it has come to become a part of who I am. It’s message governs my thoughts.
Our thought life is so powerful; it’s who we really are and a gauge for who we are becoming.
For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he: ~ Proverbs 23:7
While we can carefully control much of what we put into our minds and hearts, we don’t actually have full control of all the things that we see and hear. We also can’t control what pops into our minds at random moments but we can always choose what we dwell on, what we choose to allow to linger and turn over in our minds and hearts.
Thinking on things that are true – true about God, myself, others; real, not fake, not speculating – that pleases God and makes me happy.
I’ve read Philippians 4:8 a million times over and I’ve mentally applied it to thoughts ten million times over. Usually I’m focusing on thinking the best of people and situations, focusing on the here and now, without speculating about intentions, motives, the future…you get the idea. But several weeks ago as I was reading and meditating on it once again one word stuck out like never before: ANY.
Can you find it?It’s in there twice. If there be ANY virtue and ANY praise. If you use your imagination here as you read, you can almost imagine the Lord speaking directly to us, admonishing us as we face a difficult something or someone: Is there something true, honest, just, lovely or good about it/them? If one of those does not apply, is there ANYthing virtuous about it/them or ANYthing praiseworthy about it/them? He’s almost pleading, cajoling us us to dig deeper, search, think harder, be creative, “come on, you can think of something to praise Me about”.
There is no way that this post can possibly contain the excitement I felt over that discovery, or the absolute love I have for this verse or that joy that comes from applying it.
There are so many incredible verses in in the bible but I feel like God wrote this one special for me and despite the many times reading it, He still finds new things to teach me and show me with this verse. It’s incredible!
Do you have a life verse? A favorite verse? I’d love to hear!
