Your thought life

Philippians 4:8 (NLT)

Fix your thoughts on what is true, honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable.  Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise. 

Do you know what ‘THRPL’ means?  THRPL is a somewhat convoluted approach that worked for me in memorizing part of this verse.  The first two letters TH can be remembered because the word ‘THE’ starts many sentences.  TH is true and honorable.  Then the ‘RPL’ descend from T in the alphabet---right, pure, lovely.  Just remembering these first five adjectives go a long way to remind you what your brain should be dwelling on.  .

The previous verse—Philippians 4:7—stated, in part, that the peace of God will guard your mind.  The Greek term for guard means “to keep watch over”.  Just as soldiers are stationed to guard and secure a village or city or nation, the peace of God does the same thing to your mind.  A mind of peace is free from worry, fear, doubt, and all other adverse stresses.  So a mind of peace that is a mind that can accommodate these qualities found in verse 8. 

Basically, Philippians 4:8 is instructing you to fill your mind with positive thoughts.  Easier said than done, right?  Worry and fear and all other distressing thoughts won’t disappear quickly if you habitually think this way.  Reading, listening and watching the news everyday will certainly fill your mind with negative thoughts and a mind geared to think negatively is also going to be adversely affected by all the hardships going on daily in your own life.  It takes a sincere desire to want to change and to try everyday to fix your thoughts on all these positive things listed in this verse. 

Philippians 4:8 advocates meditation (“fix your thoughts” or “let you mind dwell on these things”).  Here are examples of what you should be thinking or meditating about:

1.   What is true—The Word of Christ (…”I am the truth….”).  Could it be that much of what you think about are lies not supported by Scripture?  For example, do you think that you are not good enough or attractive enough?  Is this consistent with biblical teaching that you were created in the image of God?  Dwell on the truth, not on self-deceptive lies. 

2.   Honorable things—What or whom do you revere?  Think about the Christians in your life whose lifestyles you know are honorable and noble.

3.   What is right—Contemplate only on things that you are convinced are morally good, that are right in God’s sight.  What do your eyes look at?

4.   Whatever is pure—I have a close friend whose favorite verse in the Bible is Matthew 5:8---“Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God”.  Pure thoughts are free from sin.

5.   Lovely things—What is acceptable and pleasing in your life?  Think about your loved ones, think about things in God’s creation that you know are lovely and pleasing to Him.

6.   Admirable things—What actions and attitudes do you see or hear about in others that you know would attract the admiration of the Lord?  Think about admirable things that you can say to and do for others.

7.   Excellent things—These are things of moral excellence (see II Peter 1:5).  Moral excellence is obedience to the Word of God.  One of my favorite all-time Christian books is one of Swindoll’s books:  Living Above The Level of Mediocrity—A Commitment to Excellence.  If you ever read this book, you will experience a change in your way of thinking and, in turn, behaving.

8.   What is worthy of praise-What is adored by God?  Think about the sunrise and sunset (they “shout for joy”—Psalm 65:8).  Think about all other aspects of God’s glorious creation.  Everyday read and meditate what the Psalms say and teach. 

Can you better understand how fixing your thoughts on these positive qualities will enable your mind to be open to the peace of God?  Transforming from a negative to a positive mindset will not happen quickly or easily, but at least start the transformation right now if you haven’t already.  The main point of Swindoll’s book about a commitment to excellence in life is that it starts with the mind.  Fix your mind, your thoughts, on the things of God and He will give you His perfect peace (Isaiah 26:3).