Read the transcript from today's video devotional.
We have a very, very practical Verse of the Day today found in Philippians chapter 4. The National Science Foundation has said that we have 12 to 60,000 thoughts that we have per day. Obviously, some of us think a little bit more than others if it's 12 to 60,000. But do you know what they found? 80% of those thoughts that we have in a day are negative. 95% of those are actually recurring thoughts that we had the prior day. So we get lost in our own thoughts and our own negative thoughts based on the scientific study.
That's why this verse is so incredibly practical to where we find ourselves every single day, and we can get consumed with negative thoughts. Look at the news—negative news all around us, and sometimes it can consume us. And that's the beauty of God. We can put so much pressure and expectation on ourselves with demands. And because of those seen expectations or felt expectations, we can start looking at ourselves through the lens of negativity.
We can start putting that negativity on others, thinking that it's other people that are causing what's hurtful in our lives, and it can just snowball so bad in our life. And that's why this verse is so practical, and I love how it starts off and says, "And now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing" as Paul is writing to the church of Philippi.
He says "fix"—what a great word that he's saying—fix your thoughts on these things. And he starts listing these positive things. Now it's a little different than just the positivity that the world talks about. It's about looking at it through the lens of fixing your mind on things of God, in the way God views you, in the way God perceives the things around you. So powerful.
THINK: A Practical Guide
So I just want to do an acrostic just to help you remember some things and points to think about during the day. It's around the word THINK.
T - Take Time to Think The reason for that is because so many times we can get consumed by going through our day accidentally. And what Paul's talking about is being purposeful—fix your mind on positive things. And why? Because 80% of the time in your day, negative thoughts are going to be coming into your mind. And so take time to be purposeful in your thought process, in thinking.
H - Be Honest with Yourself So you may say, "Okay, I'm already way too honest with myself. When I look in the mirror, I see this flaw, I see that"—that's part of the problem. Be honest with yourself, and that's not being negative on yourself. Be honest with yourself. When you look in the mirror, do you see Psalm 139 that says you are fearfully and wonderfully made? So be honest with yourself. See yourself through the lens of what God—how God sees you.
I - Identify the Positive We can get consumed by the negative, and part of it is identifying what God's doing, how God's at work in your day, and notice the small things. I love how Jesus told people who were gathered around, "Look out over the lilies of the field." He said, "Look at the sparrow." He used different illustrations. Take note. Notice the small things because when you start noticing the small things, you can see God at work, even in the small things.
N - Navigate Away from Harmful Thoughts We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ. - 2 Corinthians 10:5
K - Kick Out the Harmful Thoughts Kick out the harmful thoughts, rebuke them, kick them out. So it's great to use that word kick, especially when you have negative thoughts. Just kick it right out.
So T - take time to think, H - be honest with yourself, I - identify the positive things God is doing in your life and notice the small things that God's doing, N - navigate away from harmful thoughts, and K - kick out the harmful thoughts. I'm praying that God will use this to allow you to have a day full of thoughts of His grace in your life today.
