The next verse we are going to be looking into is one of my absolute most favorite Scripture’s ever! It is one I refer to on a regular basis, one I have prayed with my son in prevention of having bad dreams, one I encourage others with, one I remind myself of frequently.

Needless to say I am quite thrilled to be able to dig into this one as a means to become unafraid!

Philippians 4:8-9

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.

Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me- put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you.

NIV

Ever hear the old adage of “GARBAGE IN, GARBAGE OUT“?

This Scripture makes me think of that saying…meaning, what goes in your mind is what comes out.

Do you believe that you can control your thoughts?

Do you believe that you can choose what it is you are thinking about?

Do you believe that what you choose to put into your mind in your free time has consequences of both good and bad?

Let me give you a small example of what I mean~

I used to love watching Law and Order: SVU. In fact, I loved watching it most in the evening before I went to bed. Actually, it would usually be the show I would choose to fall asleep to while watching using the sleep-timer.

Eleven years ago, my sister in law died. With her death, my anxiety shot through the roof! I was suddenly worried about absolutely everything and found little solace outwardly.

As I learned how to maneuver through the grief journey I was on, I discovered that there were things that I could do to control one aspect of my life: my sleep pattern. My anxiety created frequent bouts of insomnia (something I do still battle occasionally). When I looked at my overall habits, I started to see the different things that I was choosing to do that were potentially adding trouble to my grief.

One thing stood out: my bedtime habits.

Perhaps, for me, it was not the best idea to end my day and begin my slumber with watching crimes committed by the worst of the worst in society for “entertainment”.

One day I made the choice to watch Everyone Loves Raymond instead. I found I much preferred going to sleep with a smile on my face than fill my mind with horror stories of crimes committed against the innocent.

Since then, I have made the conscious choice to change my reading styles from murder mysteries to things much lighter…my movie selection away from thrillers and violence. Actually, I choose to not watch things that could trigger my grief either- why force myself to be sad when there is so much around me that can make me sad all on its own?

I have made the choice -in an effort to fight my anxiety- to put only good things in my head (especially when thinking in the context of entertainment).

As I wrote in my last blog (Unafraid: Day 22), the book of Philippians is written by the apostle Paul to the Christian church in Philippi while he was imprisoned in Rome. Day 22 was a reminder from Paul to REJOICE ALWAYS as a way to become unafraid and today, Day 23, we are shown the way for the PEACE OF GOD TO BE WITH US.

While he is in prison, Paul encourages us to REJOICE and to think to about GOOD things and then the peace of God will be with us.

Garbage in, garbage out.

What do you think about when you are afraid?

What do you think about when you are sad?

What do you think about when you are anxious or angry?

If you are anything like me, then your thoughts are probably consumed by whatever IT IS that makes you afraid/sad/anxious/angry.

If I am afraid, let’s say of the potential of a mouse in my kitchen due to my cats suspicious behavior as they stare unmoving at the oven drawer, it is very difficult for me to focus on anything else.

If I am anxious, let’s say of the high probability that I told my husband the wrong dates off from my kids school for a mini-vacation that is already paid for and now I have to let my spouse in on my “little snaffoo”, it is hard for me to think about the best case scenario option when the “obvious outcome” is going to be disastrous.

If I am angry, let’s say when I feel I have been misunderstood and therefore misconstrued to another, it is near to impossible to let it go.

When I am focusing on my fear, continuing to think about the worst case scenarios, and refusing to let an issue go I AM NOT IN PEACE.

Your turn…

What are YOUR thoughts spinning around about?

Loneliness?

Illness in you or another?

An unanswered prayer?

An unfulfilled dream?

Regrets?

What you have lost or never had?

Your pain?

Your grief?

Your discontent?

None of those things are bad to reflect on…we must deal with our situations after all…we must face them to heal…to forgive…to move forward.

However, reflecting on your circumstance is not the same as keeping your thoughts on your circumstance.

What do I mean by that?

I’m so glad you asked!

When I am afraid that there is a mouse in the kitchen, if I choose to keep my thoughts on that possibility, panic sets in and I accomplish nothing. How do I know that? Because I am terrified of mice and have run to my bedroom in shear terror too many times over a possibility!!

Now, this morning for example, my precious duo of Henry and Bitty (Bella Cat) were keeping strict watch on my oven. I CHOSE to get my cup of coffee and go sit down in the living room for my devotion time with the Lord...in spite of my fear that there was a mouse waiting to reveal itself.

I chose to focus on something else other than my fear.

It is a small example, but why is the lesson any less applicable to a bigger scenario? I can CHOOSE to shut my blinds if I am afraid someone may be looking inside my window… I can CHOOSE to distract myself with an activity that brings joy on a better day when I am afraid of a diagnosis that I am waiting to hear the results about…I can CHOOSE to think on something PURE, LOVELY, or ADMIRABLE instead of what is is that is causing me fear.

In my anxiety over the unknown, I can CHOOSE to think on what I know is TRUE, what is RIGHT, and what is NOBLE.

I can spin on my hamster wheel of bad thoughts for quite a while, but when I choose to get off it or to jar myself out of the habit, it is then, and only then, that I begin to feel the peace of God that Paul speaks about.

I am no Apostle Paul. Nor am I imprisoned awaiting for my death sentence for preaching the Gospel. I am not separated from my loved ones by anything more than a mask and a virus. I am free to speak my beliefs.

I can say with the confidence of someone who admires Paul, however, an encouragement such as his:

Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me or seen in me- PUT IT INTO PRACTICE.

Why not give it a go?

Take a look at the last 22 studies we have done on being UNAFRAID…have you been able to put anything into practice?? Have you tried?

Because, here is the crux friends…

If you do…the peace of God will be with you.

Take captive your thoughts.

Think on good things.

Rejoice always.

Practice what has been preached.

And then?

Live in peace.

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