Conscious Thought

This week I pondered the importance of renewing the mind. Renewal of the mind is vital in order for the thoughts of our heart (the ones deep within us) to be of God and of life and other good things. Our thoughts can be filtered, but I won't kid myself I am not the best at filtering the negative ones out myself.
It is like a pipeline that is filled with guck ( no better word for it), but the water still manages to flow. The water may still flow but the efficiency and the purity of the flow can be in question. Or better yet its like a recylcing plant filtering the waste (due to people's laziness most likely), from the recyclable materials and sorting them all out. Our thoughts should follow the same process and renewing our minds allows that process to take effect. Thoughts can remain deep within the layers of our heart. They can plant themselves so far within that it will produce either positive or negative responses in our behaviour. Unfortunately, what can stem from that is self-pity, fear, denial, and lust.

This week I was challenged not to let my thoughts be spoken out of an emotional response. Emotions tend to make our thoughts go on a rampage, contradicting each other creating confusion and fear. Living by emotions is dangerous itself for it is easy to be led astray and choose the wrong path/choice. But what about our thoughts how do they play a role in our emotional health?

Our thoughts are the precursors to our mood. If attention is being payed to the negative thoughts then a negative mood will obviously be a result. Our thoughts, even before they leave our mouth, can pierce a heart just like a double edged sword. We tend to damage our own or another person's heart by allowing the negative thoughts to influence our emotions. Proverbs 29:11 says " A [self-confident] fool utters all his anger, but a wise man holds it back and stills it." -Amplified

Another translation is "a fool uttereth all his mind: but a wise man keepeth it in till afterwards." - KJV



It is outright exhausting to try to still anger ourselves. It seems futile and we usually end up releasing the anger out of frustration of trying to keep it in. Anger is stilled sucessfully with the help of God. Our emotions and our thoughts can be as well. We just have to choose to let the thoughts we ponder and the ones we let out be of life bringing hope, love, and joy. Sometimes things are better left unsaid. Ever hear that before? I am realizing that thoughts that will only bring destruction, should be dealt with internally by God. Thoughts that will influence change or bring understanding should be said in increments not all at once and should be thoughtfully pondered and brought before the Lord first. It is a long process and it is a conscious one but it is one that many people fail to do.