Think on these things

 Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things. - Philippians 4.8

I am so glad that God doesn't just tell us to live for Him, and then leave us to our own devices.

I think it is obvious that there is a battle going on inside our minds. For me it is a never ending battle. It never seems to stop. It goes on day after day and even worse it goes on night after night. Our minds are fertile soil for all the wrong things and it is those wrong things that seem to grow there best.

Paul's words on thinking are right in line with everything else he says in this section. Rejoice, don't worry, be thankful. All of these are attitudes and they are attitudes that we can choose to contemplate.

Here Paul offers more things to think about. We says that we are to think about things that are:

True

Noble

Just

Pure

Lovely

Of a good report

Virtuous

Praiseworthy

These are things that should dominate our thinking.

I don't know about anyone else - but that list does not describe my meditation naturally. These aren't the things I tend to contemplate and meditate on and mull over. I find my mind battling with thinking that is not nearly so attractive.

It would be wonderful if I could just wave some kind of spiritual magical wand to sort out my thinking. 'Poof! and my thoughts are all God honouring.

But here Paul tells me that I need to choose to meditate on these things. The fact that I have to be told to do it lets me know that it is not the natural thing.

We could go through the whole list here - but I think what we have is pretty self explanatory.  The last two words serve to summarise the rest.

'If there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy think in these things.'

How contrary these things are to the kind of thing that normally grabs our attention. Those things are not the norm in our films, out TV shows, our blogs and websites, or our social media feeds. Much of what we find there is anything but virtuous or praiseworthy.

Of course we can't dismiss those areas out of hand. They are a reality of modern life. But we can and should ensure that what we see there and the places where we spend our time have some virtue and are worthy of some praise. We should never fill our minds in the places that are the opposite.

I meditate on the things I fill my mind with. What am I using to give myself food for meditation?