How much is too much? TV? Music? News? Fictional Books? Does it really affect our mind and thoughts? Does fantasy change our reality? Or can we watch and listen to anything without consequences? Is all that info in our minds doing us any good?
We could debate a lot of these things. But for now I want to only approach what is in your mind and see if it needs de-cluttering and reorganization itself.
Answer these questions: how many secular songs can you sing by heart? How many lines can you quote from TV or movies? How many scenes can you reenact or describe in detail? How many passwords and phone numbers are stored in your mind? How many issues are you stressing over in your mind right now? How many scriptures can you quote? How many scriptures enter your mind when facing trials?
If the last two questions have the lowest number then you have a mind that needs de-cluttering. If it is even the same amount then you still have a problem.
Your mind is filled with so much info. Someone has been filling it with something since you were born. But unfortunately somewhere along the way, filling it with God's Word took a back seat. And some of us are really good at memorizing something only for the moment, just long enough to pass the test. Yet, we remember and store in our mind useless or only wanted information. It is time to de-clutter and fill our heads with tools.
1. Choose to memorize scripture.
Either as a family or with a friend. Memorize and engrave God's Word in your mind. Scripture is the sword and you will need it for battle. And you and I both know you will have battles and temptations. Why not be prepared? Would go to war without a weapon? Would you fight a bear or lion with nothing? Of course not. This is not an option either.
2. Choose to limit and/or stop the junk.
I am not going to list specific shows, books or movies. The one thing that is not an option and cannot be justified is porn on any level. If that is filling your mind daily or occasionally, repent and find some accountability to completely avoid it.
If what you watch, read or listen to causes you to lust, covet, stumble, have hatred, sexually impure thoughts, use foul language, or anything that is a sin even if it is just in your mind...stop watching it, stop reading it, stop listening to it.
You may have to check yourself as you watch or read certain things. You may be so acclimated that you do not realize how they cause you to sin. You may covet a relationship on TV, you may think too often of your favorite male character, you may sing a song filled with lustful thoughts because you like the style. The enemy is deceitful and full of tricks. He is using all these things to cause you to sin and bring you further into the world and further away from God. What junk do you need out of your mind?
3. Choose to fill it up with love, truth and joy.
We all too quickly fill our minds with lies. We believe the worst in ourselves, our lives, and others. We must know the truth about who we are in Christ in our minds. We must fill our minds with the truth about His love. And we must fill our minds with everything we have to be thankful for each day.
Put a note on your bathroom mirror or dashboard reminding you of these things. Let them soak up in your mind every day.
4. Choose to give God your burdens and stress.
I hate to ask, but how much time of the day do you and I spend worrying? Why do those worries consume our thoughts? We do not have to carry these burdens. They do not have to consume our every waking moment. When those worries and stresses come, we have to choose not to worry. Lift it up to God in prayer. It may mean every five minutes, but we have to choose to give it to God. We have to trust in Him. We cannot let the worry consume us because we might miss His answer to the problem.
(you can use one of these to memorize first):
Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things.
Colossians 3:2
Therefore, prepare your minds for action; be self-controlled; set your hope fully on the grace to be given you when Jesus Christ is revealed.
1 Peter 1:13
Jesus replied: " 'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.'a]">[a]
Matthew 22:37
But I am afraid that just as Eve was deceived by the serpent's cunning, your minds may somehow be led astray from your sincere and pure devotion to Christ.
2 Corinthians 11:3
25"Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes? 26Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? 27Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life[a]?
28"And why do you worry about clothes? See how the lilies of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. 29Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. 30If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? 31So do not worry, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?' 32For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. 33But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. 34Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.Matthew 6:25-34
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