“Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable…think about these things.”
— Philippians 4:8-9 ESV
I was sitting on the porch this morning watching my human drink coffee and read his Bible. I was doing what any respectable dog does before breakfast: thinking about things.
Mostly squirrels, breakfast, and why the neighbor’s cat has such a bad attitude.
My human seemed to have something else on his mind. I’ve learned humans can take one little problem and turn it into a whole pack of trouble before lunchtime.
One disappointment leads to another. One frustration becomes three. Before long, they’re carrying yesterday’s troubles into today and borrowing trouble from tomorrow.
Dogs have problems, too. An empty food bowl is serious business. But we don’t spend all day dwelling on it after somebody fills it.
Humans could learn something from that.
As my human turned another page, I heard him read Philippians 4. Paul reminds us to think about whatever is true, honorable, right, pure, lovely, commendable, excellent, and worthy of praise.
Now, that got my attention.
We can keep circling our disappointments, losses, and frustrations, or remember God’s goodness right in the middle of them.
That doesn’t mean pretending hard things never happened. Even an old dog knows scars come from living. We can learn from our losses without letting them become the only story we tell.
We can remember difficult seasons, but also the people God placed beside us, the doors He opened, and the blessings we missed while staring at the mess.
Most importantly, we can dwell on Jesus.
His truth when the world fills our heads with lies.
His goodness when our hearts grow bitter.
His faithfulness when tomorrow looks uncertain.
His grace when we face our own shortcomings.
The enemy wants us feeding resentment, rehearsing disappointments, and questioning our worth. But God calls us to focus on things that draw us closer to Him.
Paul doesn’t stop with our thoughts. He tells us to put what we’ve learned into practice. A mind focused on Christ ought to lead to a life that looks more like Christ.
Sitting there on the porch, I figured I’d learned something. I can spend my day barking at every squirrel, or enjoy the sunshine, appreciate the company, and trust my human to handle breakfast.
Some things are worth chasing. Others are better left alone.
So, what have you been dwelling on? The things that went wrong, or the goodness of God that remains?
Today, spend time in God’s Word.
Look for His goodness.
Practice what He teaches.
When negative thoughts come scratching at the door, remember you don’t have to invite them inside.
Dwell on Jesus. Let His character shape your thoughts, your attitude, and the way you live.
And if you happen to chase a cat along the way, well, that’s between you and the Lord.
Keep the Faith… Carpe Diem
