Know my thoughts

Week 29
My favorite thing about living at the Ranch is living in community.
It is also the most challenging part of living at the Ranch.
Nothing is more beneficial for growing personally and spiritually than being surrounded by Jesus loving individuals who care and love. We all know that growing is hard though. At least the long lasting refining kind of growth that God leads us through.
It is one thing to learn of your own error, or learn of your own sin, but what do we do with that? How do we change?
A sermon that I heard on this really stuck with me. This change starts with your mind. What we think effects how we act. We need to sift through our thoughts and throw away what isn't Truth. God does the changing if we surrender our thoughts and attitudes to him.
Philippians 4:8 says, "whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things." These are the things we are to focus on. And doesn't it sound appealing?
Why would we ever want to focus on things that aren't true, that aren't pure... when you think about it like that it seems ridiculous to fill our minds with things other than Godly things. But we do. Every day. All the time.
We live in these ruts of doing the same old thing that we have always done. Hanging out with the same people. Watching the same trashy tv shows. As the pastor put it: just like a railroad track, ruts take you to the same place every time. If you change your ruts, you won't go back.
Change it. Input the good stuff. Truth. Scripture.
Meditate on it. Let it rule your mind, heart, and life.
God will use it to refine you.

Search me, O God, and know my heart!

Try me and know my thoughts!

Psalm 139:23