Posts Tagged: Philippians 4:8

“Thought Substitution”

On July 15, 2023 by Dteb With 0 Comments - down to earth believer

“Finally, brothers, 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.” (Philippians 4:8, English Standard Version)

I sometimes struggle with inappropriate and unhealthy thoughts of various flavors. When I’m doing that, I often get trapped into trying not to think those thoughts. This is always a mistake. It has long been known that you can’t not think about something. The classic example is the pink polka-dot elephant. If someone tells you not to think about a pink polka-dot elephant, suddenly your whole mental universe seems to be populated with brightly colored pachyderms.

So, why is that, even knowing this, I so often get caught in these hellish mental echo chambers? It occurred to me just this afternoon that I am often telling myself that I should be able to not think unhealthy thoughts. In other words, I am struggling with pride, not just unhealthy thoughts. And the more I struggle with pride and my thought life, the less I have to be proud of. Awareness of what is going on in my (sometimes) crazy brain is a good thing. Focusing on these thoughts is not.

I wonder if the Apostle Paul was driving at this very thing when he wrote the words that lead off this post.  Perhaps the Philippian believers were thinking unhealthy thoughts and then getting even sicker as they tried not to think about unhealthy thoughts. It is certainly possible. It may not always be the case, but I suspect that, as a general rule, if Paul said that believers ought to do something, it was because they weren’t doing that particular something. Perhaps the folks to whom Paul is writing this letter was struggling with focusing their mind on the wrong things.

We have a saying in twelve-step programs that what you resist persists. I think I’ll try peaceful non-resistance with my own mind. After all, nobody really wins a civil war with his or her own mind.

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“Lively and Lovely Stubbornness”

On November 20, 2020 by Dteb With 0 Comments - down to earth believer

“Finally, brothers, 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.” (Phil. 4:8, English Standard Version)

Ugliness and death are stubborn and hard to eradicate.  Indeed, unless your name is God, ugliness and death probably can’t be eradicated.  But then, beauty and life are stubborn too.

This morning I was doing my “3-Minute Retreat” from Loyola Press.  Their retreats are free, daily, and excellent.  They have a pictorial background, some meditative music, a brief scripture, a couple of short, thought-provoking questions, and a closing suggested prayer.  And yes, you really can do them in about three minutes.  I usually take longer, but then that’s me.

The background picture this morning was as helpful to me as the words and music.  Maybe that’s because I paid attention to the picture.

It showed a tightly louvered, metallic-looking fence with a couple of flowers growing through a very narrow crack in the fence.  “Beauty and life are stubborn!” I said out loud.

And as a matter of fact, beauty and life are stubborn.  Good thing!  Because obviously so are ugliness and death.

We need to acknowledge the ugliness and death.  It won’t go away if we simply ignore it.

But we also need to focus on the beauty and the life.  As I am writing this post, the sun is coming up.  There is a lovely breeze, and it is already 50.  It is supposed to get up into the mid sixties today.  I will rake leaves and take them to the compost pile.  Then, I’m going to go for a ride on the Little Miami Bike Trail.

Beauty and life will be one of my mantras for the day.  You can use it too.  It’s not copyrighted!

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