#265: Honoring God With Our Thoughts

The 5 Minute Discipleship Podcast

Often as I start my day, I’ll pray a prayer and ask God to help me to honor him today. I’ll ask God to help me to honor him with my day, my words, my attitude, my choices and decisions…and even my thought. Yes, my thoughts.

I know there are people who believe our thoughts don’t really matter. I’ve heard people say, “My thoughts are personal. They are private. My thoughts aren’t hurting anyone.”

My response to that is…yes, but God knows your thoughts.

Psalm 139:2 – “You know when I sit down or stand up. You know my thoughts even when I'm far away.”

The Bible actually has a lot to say about our thoughts. The reason our thoughts matter is because our thoughts impact our emotions and our emotions influence our actions.

If you ever responded to someone in an angry way, your response originated in your thoughts. If you ever made a bad decision, your choice originated in your thinking. Yes, your thoughts to matter.

If you have made Jesus the Lord of your life, your desire will be to honor him with every part of your life, even your thoughts.

Our minds are very often disobedient to God. All of the sudden you will catch yourself. Why am I so worried? Why am I so afraid? You didn’t wake up and consciously decide to feel resentful and bitter? What happened? Your thoughts went that way and you entertained them. Ever notice that your thoughts are rebellious? When you start to pray, your thoughts drift away.

You may have heard this quote:

“Watch your thoughts, they become words;

watch your words, they become actions;

watch your actions, they become habits;

watch your habits, they become character;

watch your character, for it becomes your destiny.”

We need the help of the Holy Spirit. We can’t change our thoughts on our own. It begins with asking God to help us pay attention to what we are thinking. Am I thinking healthy thoughts, hurtful thoughts, uplifting thoughts, or destructive thoughts.

This is important because we don’t always notice what is going on in our minds. There are people who every day, all day long, have habitual patterns of bitter thoughts, or anxious thoughts, or selfish thoughts, or lustful thoughts, or greedy thoughts, and they couldn’t even tell you what is going on in their minds.

We also need God’s help to learn to focus our thoughts. Colossians 3:2 – “Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things.”

Not only is it important to monitor your thought, but with God’s help you can also, focus your thoughts. You can give direction to your thoughts. I can begin to tell my mind where I want it to go.

It’s amazing how many people think they are victims of whatever is running through their minds. You have in your possession, the remote control to your thoughts. But some people act as if they have no control. They say, “I can’t stop. I can’t stop thinking about food. I can’t stop thinking about sex. I can’t stop worrying about my kids.

Again, we can pray and ask God to give us strength here. “Lord, here is what’s on my mind right now. Right now I’m angry. Right now I’m bitter. Right now I’m afraid. Right now I’m tempted. Would you help me with this? Will you guide me? Will you give me strength to focus my mind on helpful, productive thoughts? Give me pure thoughts? Give me thoughts that honor you?

Today’s Challenge: Pray about two things today. Ask God to help you take inventory of your thoughts. Are they honoring God? Second, ask Him to help you to focus your thoughts on things that are healthy on Christ honoring.