Whatever is True

 It has been a few days since I have written, because I have really taken this thought to heart. As a writer, I spend a lot of time in my own head. Thoughts are amazingly powerful. They effect the expression on my face, change the tone of my voice, and scream through my body language.

It's urgently important that I think properly. Like I shared last time, this is a major key to having the peace of God in my life.
I want peace.
I crave peace.
I want the people around me to observe me at peace.

If my thoughts are on track, then my face will be relaxed and quick to smile; my tone will be gentle and in control, and my body will not be all tense.

I am going to dive deeper into this for a few days.
My thoughts are to be about "whatever is true."

But what kind of true?

It is true that, no matter what state or condition my life is in at this moment, it is better than what I deserve.

It is true that the Lord is always with me.

It is true that God wants my praise, not my perfection.
Since I cannot be perfect, I should not pretend to be. I should lovingly devote my everything to Jesus and know that's enough.

It is true that I am a sinner saved by grace.

Jesus is truth. His ways are perfect. If I acknowledge that He is with me in every moment and I believe it with all my heart, then I am filled with truth as well.

The Word is so powerful.
It doesn't matter if it is spoken, written, or even thought.
Since the power of "life and death are in the tongue", I have to assume that this is true even when words are spoken only in my own mind.

Jesus knows my thoughts.
He said that those who hate; commit murder. Those who lust; commit adultery.
He's pretty serious about what goes "unspoken".

My heart and thoughts need to match my appearance.
If I love my Lord, then the truth is that my heart is filled with praise, worship, and prayer.

If I love my husband, then I am constantly dwelling on the truth of how blessed I am to be his wife and how big of an honor it is to serve him.

If its true then I am thankful, even when frustrated.
I have been blessed to be married for over 20 years now and I know my husband deserves a medal for making it this far and still being in love with me.
It is true I am blessed.

If its true I love my children, then I will pray for them and will not be lazy in their training.
If its true that I love them, then my heart dwells on the truth that I only have them under my wing for a few short breaths; then they move on. The truth is I must make the most of every moment.

See why it's been a few days? I've been picking this verse apart and I feel I barely scratched the surface.

How about you? Think about "whatever is true" in your life. If its true then...

I'd love to hear what's on your heart.




"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. ⁹ 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."