One of my all time favorite cartoons as a kid was “The Adventures of Winnie the Pooh”. It was a favorite of my Grandmother and she would buy us Winnie the Pooh books and VHS tapes for gifts. In one episode, Pooh and Piglet take an evening walk. For a long time they walk in silence side by side. Finally, Piglet breaks the silence and asks,
“when you wake up in the morning, Pooh, what’s the first thing you say to yourself?”
“What’s for breakfast?” Answers Pooh. “And what do you say, Piglet?”
“I say, I wonder what exciting thing is going to happen today?”
There’s a popular saying that goes something like this, “what you focus on expands.” I’m not specifically talking about Pooh’s waistline, but the image is particularly effective. Our thoughts, no matter how small, or trivial will shape our lives and determine our futures. We simply cannot afford to be mastered by the things that float into our minds. And if we deceive ourselves into thinking that we have no control over such things, we will forever fall victim to the opinions of others and our own deceitful desires. The Apostle Paul said it this way…
You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; to be made new in the attitude of your minds;
Ephesians 4:22-23
How do we do this? We have conscious and unconscious thoughts floating in and out of our minds 24/7. The good news is it’s simple. The bad news is it’s incredibly difficult to do consistently. I believe Solomon gives us some sagely advice here.
“Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it.”
Proverbs 4:23
The heart is considered by the ancients to be the seat of one’s mind, will, and emotions. Solomon explains why it contains such power by suggesting that everything you do flows from it. Take care of it; guard it is his instruction. Here’s a few tips.
- Make it an everyday practice to schedule a quiet time where you can inventory your thoughts. Make note of the things you have been dwelling on. If you have stress, or anxiety, identify the source and plan how you can best organize your thoughts on the issue. Ask God to fill your mind with his thoughts and speak to you throughout the day.
- Take the time to journal your thoughts. For starters, just writing things down is therapeutic. Also, writing gives us the ability to analyze our thoughts at a much higher level. It slows down the mind to focus in on what needs to be identified and accounted for.
Anything of value, from a bank to a museum, has guards posted to protect the assets. How about your mind? Are you guarding what is most valuable to you?