A Penny for Your Thoughts?

Have you ever wondered what it would be like to read others’ thoughts? Is how we think important to God? How can we all think better?

A penny for your thoughts?

That is a question we sometimes ask a person in deep thought when we want to know what he or she is thinking. Have you ever wondered what it would be like if we could read what’s in another person’s mind? When I think about that, I always come to the conclusion, “I am glad no one can read my mind and see what’s going on there!”

Hopefully, we choose carefully our words before we speak and our actions before we act. We have to be even more cautious these days, because we know we can be captured on camera nearly anywhere.

But do we give the same kind of thoughtful consideration to our thoughts?

What about our thoughts?

Consider that our hearts and minds are like a garden. What we plant there is what will germinate and grow, producing fruit that is either good or bad. Satan is trying to attack our minds and fill them with negativity and evil (so that negativity and evil then proceed from us). There is a constant battle going on for our minds. 

What we expose our minds to will influence our actions and thinking. Consider how the following things can impact us:

• The books we read and the pictures we look at.
• The music we listen to.
• The people we surround ourselves with.
• The things we watch on television.

These are just to mention a few. These will influence our thinking either negatively or positively, depending on our choices. We should try to choose the above things wisely according to our Christian living principles, so we do not allow bad thinking to take root.

We must always remember that what we think we are doing secretly behind everyone’s back, we are doing right in front of God’s eyes. There are no secrets with God. Our thoughts and actions are in His plain view!

How do we stop bad thoughts?

But what if we already have bad thoughts in our head from past bad choices? What can we do to deal with them?

One of the most important things we can do is seek God’s help in prayer. If you are plagued with thoughts of hate, lust, anger, jealousy, etc., ask God to help you steer away from these negative thoughts.

In Proverbs 16:3 we read, “Commit your works to the LORD, and your thoughts will be established.”

By prayer and studying God’s Word, we establish a relationship with Him. The closer we stay to our God, the nearer He will draw us to Him.

In Philippians 4:6-7 we are told, “Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God, and the peace of God which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.”

When we are at peace with God and our minds are being filled with His Word, we are in a good position to fight Satan and this world’s bad, negative thoughts (seeds) in our minds and hearts.

Paul wrote in 2 Corinthians 10:5, “Casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ.” As soon as a negative thought enters our minds, we should capture it—before it can take root—and replace it with a positive thought instead.

The right thoughts

Thankfully, the Bible gives us ideas of what kinds of thoughts we should bathe our minds in.

Philippians 4:8 says, “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.”

This is a powerful scripture that can help us align our thinking with that of our God.

So, what’s on your mind? A penny for your thoughts?

For more insight on our thoughts and mind, read “Heart, Soul and Mind: Three Components in Loving God.”

Muriel Soga is a member of the Church of God, a Worldwide Association, attending in the Phoenix, Arizona, congregation.