Be Brave: Week 5 - Saturday

And now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing. Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise. Keep putting into practice all you learned and received from me—everything you heard from me and saw me doing. Then the God of peace will be with you. Philippians 4:8-9

One of my favorite Hellen Keller quotes is: "keep your face to the sunshine and you cannot see a shadow." It is such a poignant reminder that the things we choose to focus on can influence everything. Hellen Keller modeled this statement well. Unable to see, she could have let her difficult circumstances influence her perspective on life, but she chose not to dwell on them. Instead, she focused on all of the positive aspects of her life. She focused on the things of God.

Perhaps Helen Keller modeled her way of thinking after what she learned from Philippians 4:8-9. In these verses, the apostle Paul encouraged believers to meditate on things that were true, honorable, right, pure, lovely, admirable, excellent, and worthy of praise. These are the things that Paul encouraged believers to fix their eyes on. This truth that Paul wrote to the church in Philippi is still true for believers today. In a world where there are so many negative things to fix our eyes on, these verses from Philippians are a call for believers to meditate on good, positive things. Focusing on the things of the world that are true, honorable, right, pure, lovely, admirable, excellent, and worthy of praise can often help us shift our perspectives and have peace, even in the most difficult of circumstances.

I'm not sure what you are facing today, but I know that in this world that has been marked by sin, we are all facing difficult circumstances. Disease, death, and loss are just a few of the marks sin's destruction has left on our lives. With everything we face, it can be easy to dwell on all of our difficult situations. Although we can be tempted to dwell on the negative, we are called in Scripture not to let those thoughts consume us. Instead, we are to meditate on the good we see in the world. Thinking this way can give us the perspective shift that we need during difficult times. To remember that God is good and that He is still working when we cannot see can sustain us during the most difficult times. May today be a day that you choose to dwell on what is true, honorable, right, pure, lovely, admirable, excellent, and worthy of praise.

** Please note that worry and anxiety are marks of living in this sinful world. As we fight against these things, the first One we are to turn to is God, the One in control of everything. Sometimes, along with seeking God throughout our anxiety and worry, we may need additional help. If you find yourself continuing to struggle with worry and anxiety as you seek God, please do not be afraid to seek the additional help you may need. I personally have greatly benefitted from seeing a Christian counselor in my battle against worry and anxiety.

Moving Toward Action

One of the best things that we can dwell on today is the amazing grace of God by saving us when we were lost in our sins. Take a few moments and review the Bridge Diagram, which is a tangible way to learn, understand, and explain what God did for us when He sent His Son, Jesus, to die on the cross for us and purchase our sins. As you review this diagram, thank God for the amazing grace He has shown you. Ask Him for opportunities to share the Bridge Diagram with someone else today.

Going Deeper

Read Psalm 19:1-14 (NLT)