The Silent Saboteur: Guarding Your Mind in a World of Distractions
As the apostle Paul reminds us, “whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, dwell on these things” (Philippians 4:8). But how often do we find ourselves dwelling on the opposite – the negative, the worldly, and the ungodly?
The Danger of Complacency
A billboard on the side of the road caught my attention recently: “Speed Kills.” It’s a stark reminder of the devastating consequences of reckless driving. But as I pondered the message, I realized that speed can kill not just our bodies, but also our souls. When we’re not intentional about what we allow into our minds, we leave ourselves vulnerable to spiritual attack.
The Unguarded Mind
Our most vulnerable moments are not when we’re busy or distracted, but when we’re idle, coasting, or in neutral. It’s like leaving our doors unlocked at night, inviting unwanted guests to enter and wreak havoc. What we think about in those unguarded moments reveals what’s truly in our hearts. And if we’re not careful, we can become exactly what we focus on – whether that’s the world’s values or God’s truth.
Disciplining Our Minds
Just as we exercise and nourish our bodies, we must also discipline and guard our minds. What we feed our minds determines what we become. If we fill our minds with garbage, we’ll eventually turn into garbage. But if we focus on what’s pure, lovely, and of good repute, we’ll become more like Christ.
The Power of Focus
The best way to exercise and guard our minds is to contemplate what’s true, noble, just, pure, lovely, and good. We must be intentional about what we allow into our minds, refusing to let the world fill us with ungodly thinking. By focusing on scripture and prayer, we can keep the evil one and his devices at bay.
The Choice We Face
Ultimately, what we fill our minds with is a matter of choice. Will we choose to focus on the things of Christ, becoming more like Him in the process? Or will we succumb to the temptations of this world, becoming indistinguishable from the rest? The choice is ours.
A Prayer for Awareness
Lord, help me to be aware of my vulnerable moments, when my mind is idle or neutral. Help me to guard my mind with scripture and prayer, focusing on what’s true, noble, just, pure, lovely, and good. In Jesus’ name, I pray, amen.
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