“Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.”  Philippians 4:8

I love this verse. 

And, I try to put this into practice because I truly believe what we allow in our hearts and minds will, undoubtedly, spill out.

It can be such a struggle because the world is not filling our hearts or our minds with what is noble or true.

Social media and entertainment outlets are not filled with whatever is right or pure.

The news is not sharing whatever is lovely or admirable.

The enemy is screaming at us and feeds us things like:

We need to live in fear and be afraid of what might happen.

We should be anxious and let it consume us.

We can create our own truths and be upset when others don’t accept them.

We are drawn to the damaging details from the words of this world.  We let destructive influences take up space in our minds and in our hearts.

And, the more we dwell on these things, the less peace we feel.  It becomes more and more difficult to think about such things at Paul is speaking of in this verse. And, before we know it, we are depressed, anxious, angry, and callous.

The words in this scripture are not just mere suggestions; they are direct instructions, carefully expressed, for us to know how to live a life of peace. 

Sound easy?  It’s not.  Because the enemy will use everything he has to make sure we feel the messages of this world.

We will be insulted. Hurt. Offended.

Many times by people we love.

We will be stressed. Worried. Overwhelmed.

Many times by our good works.

We will be saddened. Disappointed. Troubled.

Many times by no fault of our own.

God didn’t create us to take on the woes of this world by ourselves. 

His word tells us that He will be with us. 

“Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the Lord your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you.” Deuteronomy 31:6 (NIV)

His word tells us how to feel the peace that only He can give.

“Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you.”  Philippians 4:9 (NIV)

So, when you start feeling the weight of this world, before it makes a place in your heart, fill your heart instead with

What is true

What is noble

What is right

What is pure

What is lovely

What is admirable

What is excellent

What is praiseworthy

Because those things are all around us. 

Let’s fill our hearts with the goodness He blesses us with daily. 

The beauty in the sky on your way to work.  The genuine smile from a stranger. The sweet and powerful words in a praise song. The joy in watching a loved one succeed. The understanding of scripture that hits you hard. The appreciation for the grace and mercy that is showered upon you as you go about your day.

What are some of the things that fill your heart and give you peace? 

Share with us so others may be blessed.

May we all be filled with the peace from His goodness as we begin this week and continue to live and love like Jesus every day.