Philippians 4:8

Do you get the flu on purpose?  Do you break your arm just because?  No?  Me either. 

Instead, we get vaccinated for the flu, or at the very least, wear a coat when it’s cold.  We wear protective equipment when cycling or skating.  We do these things to protect our bodies from harm. 

What are we doing to protect the way we think?  We have control of our thoughts.  We can choose to be angry with that waitress who didn’t bring us our food fast enough or we can smile, be patient, and choose to believe that she’s doing the best she can.  Paul told us to FIX our thoughts on positive things.     

Philippians 4:8 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.  (NLT)

Not too long ago, I decided to try.  I was so aggravated with both of my daughters (can’t even remember why, but probably arguing with each other).  I really wanted to let them have it and ground them until their 30’s.  But I remembered this verse in Philippians.  You have no idea how difficult it was for me to think of something ‘true’ about each of my daughters, but I did it.  And then came ‘honorable.’  They’re young, so I thought about how they are at respectful to their teachers at school.  Something ‘right?’ I had to really think on that one for a bit.  But the point is that for each of these attributes, I forced myself to think of something positive for each of my daughters.  By the time I got to ‘admirable,’ it was so easy and fun that I decided to start over again with my husband and son.  I was feeling so positive about my family, my life, just everything.  And, yep, in the end, I completely forgot about who I was aggravated with and why.