In the course of daily living, we all have a routine that keeps us going every day between work (whether at home or on the job) as well as family. There is more than enough to occupy our minds, but then, when we add national news, controversies over COVID, to vaccinate or not as well as whether to mask up or stay at home, most of us become overwhelmed in our thinking. It's easy to allow the circumstances of life to distress us.
As I considered this today, two scriptures came to my mind. The first is found in Paul's letter to Timothy (I Timothy 1:3-4): "As I urged you when I was going to Macedonia remain at Ephesus so that you may charge certain persons not to teach any different doctrine, nor to devote themselves to myths and endless genealogies, which promote speculations rather than the stewardship from God that is by faith." To put it another way, Paul is telling Timothy to keep people from running down endless bunny trails. Why? It's so easy to get caught up in foolish controversies that do not produce good fruit. Paul goes on in the same letter in verses 5-7 to say this: "The aim of our charge is love that issues from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith. Certain persons, by swerving from these, have wandered away into vain discussion, desiring to be teachers of the law, without understanding either what they are saying or the things about which they make confident assertions." We see this happening today not just about spiritual issues but about other areas as well. There really is nothing new under the sun as Solomon so wisely said.
Endless controversies do not produce any fruit, and when we meditate on them, we feel overwhelmed. What is the solution? Who is right? Who is wrong? There are some things we may never see resolved in our lifetime, but there is a solution to avoiding an overwhelmed thought process. We have been instructed to meditate on God's Word day and night according to Deuteronomy 6:6-9. The benefits to doing so are elaborated on in Psalm 19: 7-11: "The law of the Lord is perfect, reviving the soul; the testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple; the precepts of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart; the commandment of the Lord is pure, enlightening the eyes; the fear of the Lord is clean, enduring forever; the rules of the Lord are true, and righteous altogether. More to be desired are they than gold, even much fine gold; sweeter also than honey and drippings of the honeycomb. Morever, by them is your servant warned; in keeping them there is great reward." Just review all those benefits of meditating on the Word of God! It is true - it revives the soul - it rejoices the heart - it enlightens the eye - it makes the simple wise - it endures forever and God's Word gives us great reward in the end! Isn't this so much better than thinking of all the day's controversies which will be here today and gone tomorrow?
What we feed our minds on a daily basis has a lot to do with our spiritual well being. Just as with the physical body, if we fill up on fast foods constantly, our health will suffer (higher cholesterol, heart disease, diabetes, obesity etc.). However, if we eat a variety of healthy food that we make ourselves, we can reduce our incidence of illness. Certainly this applies to our diet for the mind as well. What we put in is what will come out when the pressures of life come at us. Sitting and meditating on the "what ifs", the "might be's" and the "maybe's" of life will certainly create a feeling a panic, but meditating on the Word of God will produce a peace which passes all understanding no matter what happens around us. Therefore, lets spend our time being transformed by the renewing of our minds in God's Word that we may be better equipped daily to walk in this fallen world till Jesus comes again! Selah!
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