Finally, believers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable and worthy of respect, whatever is right and confirmed by God’s word, whatever is pure and wholesome, whatever is lovely and brings peace, whatever is admirable and of good repute; if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think continually on these things [center your mind on them, and implant them in your heart]. Philippians 4:8 Amplified
Lately, I have had many conversations with people about the things that swirl around in their minds. And largely, the discussions seem to arise out of frustration and anxiety. Many of us are walking around with our heads stuffed with unnecessary junk.
No judgement here, Friend. I can admit to feeling so overwhelmed at times, that the load my head seems to be carrying needs a wheel barrel to keep it with me! Can anyone relate?
But allow me to share something that I have learned to practice ~ yes, you’ve got to act on change or it just won’t happen. Putting a filter on what enters my space ~ brain space, to be specific.
I choose to keep out what is unnecessary, which is potentially unhealthy, and would only take up valuable space. It’s hard enough for me to remember important dates, passwords, upcoming special events, loved ones’ birthdays, doctor’s appointments … without the overcrowding of things that are not worthy of my time and energy.
At first glance, it may sound a bit haughty. But hear me out. I have made the conscious decision to not entertain thoughts (which lead to behavior) that would devalue who I am. And I truly believe that you, Girlfriend, are worthy of putting up that filter, too. You are every bit more valuable than you think. You are worth dying for.
When you know your true worth, and that’s based on the Creator of the universe and all living creatures, then you will become selective about those things that are vying for space in your life. Feel free to put up your stop sign.
Things that add value to who you are, GOD has listed in our Scripture verse above. Let that be your benchmark. You don’t have to allow the floodgates to swing wide open to the philosophies of this world to be accepted ~ that’s a lie. And many of us can testify to having been fooled by some of those and we have the unseen scars to prove it.
So, how do we start practicing this filtering process?
Do not become like the people who belong to this world. But let God completely change the way that you think, so that you live differently. Then you will understand what God wants you to do. You will know what is good. You will know what pleases God. You will know what is completely right. Romans 12:2 EASY
I like the way this is paraphrased here. Some of us commonly use the term: transform. But for many Christians new to their faith, transformation is one of those complex words. In simple terms, it means to make new. Please don’t misinterpret this to mean: reinvent. That’s not my intention. To make new is keeping the same person, but changing to make better, so that you can live as you were meant to live and flourish. But it will require work on our part. The original blueprint is still at the heart of the design.
Practice makes it better. Practicing what GOD designed for our best life ever makes our lives that much better. It won’t be easy. But it will become that good habit that will protect us, essentially, from ourselves. We all know that if we were left to our own devices we wouldn’t last very long.
I can’t say it enough, Girlfriend, surround yourself with other GOD-fearing and loving friends who will pray with you and do life alongside you. You don’t need a bazillion. Jesus had twelve.
Your inner circle will keep you accountable, and they won’t let you do life on the sidelines isolated. If you decide to sit for a bit, someone will lovingly come sit with you, listen to you and perhaps cry with you. Then she’ll nudge you to get back in the game and remind you that there’s life to be lived because Jesus died to give it to you.
“Who’s in your inner circle?”
Take a moment to name your top three to five people ~ your go-to, text at midnight, call when hurting Girlfriends? If you can’t name at least two or three, you need to make some friends. Again, this shouldn’t be rocket science. And with all the thoughts we’re entertaining in a day, this should be a no-brainer. (no pun intended)
Above all, your inner circle should be women that speak truth in your space and to your face. There are times when we’re veering off course and we don’t realize it, but someone watching you does and she’s willing to risk your friendship to set you back on track. That’s a gem of a friend that is looking out for the things that we should be focusing on (hint: go back and read Philippians 4:8).
I love my sweet truth-telling Girlfriends. We’ve had our moments of side-eye looks and creative disagreements, but overall, we know we are there for each other to do as GOD would have us do. They’ve helped me through some of the most difficult and darkest seasons of life, but we have vowed to always speak truth in love ~ Jesus wouldn’t have it any other way.
So, I’ve given you a running start here:
What we’re addressing ~ those gnarly unnecessary cluttering destructive thoughts need to be purged out of your precious mind (we don’t have time or energy to waste).
How we’re going to tackle those thoughts ~ line them up against the word of GOD (wash them out of sight if they don’t align) and practice your socks off.
Who can we count on to keep us going strong ~ those godly women that He sends your way (you may need to pray for some new friends, and that’s okay).
I said earlier: you are worth dying for. Jesus declared your value over two-thousand years ago ~ and it hasn’t changed. He’s always there (right where you are) no matter what happens ~ even when we mess up! Jesus is always ready to hear your voice and receive your prayers (and we don’t need to use any fancy words or get dressed up). Just speak.
It’s time, Sister, to live the life you were meant to have. Jesus believes you are well worth it.
I love you to Heaven and Back, Girlfriend ~
LindaRJohnson, TitusTwo Visionary
Titus Two 