Who is the "Whatever"?
"Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, dwell on these things." (Philippians 4:8)
For the longest time I've read this passage of Scripture thinking that I needed to find "positive" things to think about. I used this passage to encourage and admonish myself to keep pure thoughts and to redirect my thinking when it became sinful. Recently, however, this passage has taken on a much different meaning...one much deeper. A wise man (my husband) once said to me that in order to identify my idols, I need to evaluate the things I think about. Anything I spend time thinking about, that is completely outside of Christ and His kingdom, is an idol. I'd never really thought of that before. I was thinking much more simply, convinced that as long as my thoughts weren't about things like murdering, lying, stealing, cheating, and other evil things like these, then I was okay. WRONG !
If I am thinking of a person or situation, my thoughts need to be God-honoring and respectful...and actively kingdom-minded. I constantly need to be thinking of how I may glorify the Lord as I ponder things in this life, whether it be my marriage, my role as a mother, my role as a homeschool teacher, sister, daughter, friend, etc. I do ponder all of these things, but my thinking must not be useless and unfocused. Any thought not focused upon God and His glory is an unfocused one. An unfocused thought is worldly and useless--even sinful! I must not dwell on the worldly aspects of things in life, but direct my thinking to honor God. Whatever consumes my mind comes out of my heart. What fills my heart is my treasure. Is my treasure Christ or my husband? Is my treasure Christ or my son? Is my treasure Christ or my studying? my house-cleaning? my friends? my family?
"For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also." (Matthew 6:12)
Now I also know that whatever fills my heart is that which fills my mind and will at times proceed from my mouth. "...For the mouth speaks out of that which fills the heart." (Matthew 12:34) I talk about the things I think about. So this concept extends beyond my thoughts to my conversations with people, both saved and unsaved. Do I converse about useless and unfocused things, or do my conversations prove a direct focus on the things of God? Truly I want the words of my mouth and the meditations of my heart to be pleasing in the sight of my Lord.
So, back to the Scripture in Philippians 4:8, what exactly is the "whatever" that is true, honorable, right, pure, lovely, of good repute, and worthy of praise? I can only think of one "whatever"...actually it's a "whomever"! It's the Lord Jesus Christ! Come Holy Spirit and focus my cloudy mind on the beauty and majesty of the only Sovereign. Give me spiritual glaucoma so that all the peripheral things in life are blackened out of view and only the glory of Christ fills the tunnel of vision that is left.
"Make glad the soul of Your servant, for to You, O Lord, I lift up my soul. For You, Lord, are good, and ready to forgive, and abundant in lovingkindness to all who call upon You."
(Psalm 86:4-5)
For the longest time I've read this passage of Scripture thinking that I needed to find "positive" things to think about. I used this passage to encourage and admonish myself to keep pure thoughts and to redirect my thinking when it became sinful. Recently, however, this passage has taken on a much different meaning...one much deeper. A wise man (my husband) once said to me that in order to identify my idols, I need to evaluate the things I think about. Anything I spend time thinking about, that is completely outside of Christ and His kingdom, is an idol. I'd never really thought of that before. I was thinking much more simply, convinced that as long as my thoughts weren't about things like murdering, lying, stealing, cheating, and other evil things like these, then I was okay. WRONG !
If I am thinking of a person or situation, my thoughts need to be God-honoring and respectful...and actively kingdom-minded. I constantly need to be thinking of how I may glorify the Lord as I ponder things in this life, whether it be my marriage, my role as a mother, my role as a homeschool teacher, sister, daughter, friend, etc. I do ponder all of these things, but my thinking must not be useless and unfocused. Any thought not focused upon God and His glory is an unfocused one. An unfocused thought is worldly and useless--even sinful! I must not dwell on the worldly aspects of things in life, but direct my thinking to honor God. Whatever consumes my mind comes out of my heart. What fills my heart is my treasure. Is my treasure Christ or my husband? Is my treasure Christ or my son? Is my treasure Christ or my studying? my house-cleaning? my friends? my family?
"For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also." (Matthew 6:12)
Now I also know that whatever fills my heart is that which fills my mind and will at times proceed from my mouth. "...For the mouth speaks out of that which fills the heart." (Matthew 12:34) I talk about the things I think about. So this concept extends beyond my thoughts to my conversations with people, both saved and unsaved. Do I converse about useless and unfocused things, or do my conversations prove a direct focus on the things of God? Truly I want the words of my mouth and the meditations of my heart to be pleasing in the sight of my Lord.
So, back to the Scripture in Philippians 4:8, what exactly is the "whatever" that is true, honorable, right, pure, lovely, of good repute, and worthy of praise? I can only think of one "whatever"...actually it's a "whomever"! It's the Lord Jesus Christ! Come Holy Spirit and focus my cloudy mind on the beauty and majesty of the only Sovereign. Give me spiritual glaucoma so that all the peripheral things in life are blackened out of view and only the glory of Christ fills the tunnel of vision that is left.
"Make glad the soul of Your servant, for to You, O Lord, I lift up my soul. For You, Lord, are good, and ready to forgive, and abundant in lovingkindness to all who call upon You."
(Psalm 86:4-5)
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