I really enjoy gardening. I never thought that I would enjoy it as much as I do because as a kid my dad would ask me if I wanted to help him around the yard and I would run the other direction. There are so many Biblical insights that come to me as I am gardening. A very basic principle of gardening is whatever seed you sow into your garden; you will reap the fruit of it. If you sow a lot, you will reap a lot. If you sow bean seeds, you will reap a harvest of beans. The opposite is true also. If you don’t cultivate and plant the ground of your garden, it will run wild with a variety of weeds and foreign entities.
Our mind is like a garden. What we choose to sow into the soil of our minds through meditation and constant use, will produce the fruit after itself. “For as he thinks within himself, so he is…” (Proverbs 23:7). The Word of God cautions us to pay close attention to what is going on in our minds for this is the fruit that will be produced. Our lives are not just affected by our thoughts; THEY ARE DEFINED BY THEM. We will become what we think we are. Whatever our minds are fixed primarily on will have greatest influence over us.
Paul knew this when he wrote in Philippians, “Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things” (Philippians 4:8). In the Greek, the word “think” speaks of the act of careful reflection. Paul is exhorting believers to carefully reflect on all that is true, honorable, just, pure, lovely commendable, excellent, and praiseworthy.
It’s easy to run through our days not monitoring what we are really thinking on. The truth is that there is a great fight that is taking place over our minds every day. The Lord is calling us to come into a deep seated agreement with Him over our identity and worth. The enemy of our soul (Ephesians 6:12), is wanting us to agree with him by passively receiving his deceptions through circumstances and other people. Some common deceptions are:
- I’m not good enough. Truth: I am the righteousness of Christ.
- I’m not talented enough. Truth: I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.
- I’m not smart enough. Truth: I have the mind of Christ.
- No one wants me around. Truth: I am never alone with Christ.
- People can’t be trusted. Truth: I can trust the Lord and others as I am healed.
- I’ll always be disappointed. Truth: If I live in Christ, I live with expectation and hope.
- I’ll always be poor. Truth: I am rich with what really has eternal value.
- God can never forgive me. Truth: He is faithful and just to forgive us.
- God will never love me. Truth: I am already loved by my gracious God.
The damaging and demeaning messages you hear is evidence there is a real battle going on. How do you discern what you are hearing? Consider, any thought that leads to anxiety is not from God. Any thought that causes you to doubt God’s love is not from God. Any worry about the future is not from God. Anything that causes you to fret over the past is not from God. Living in a state of confusion and fear is not from God.
The key to triumphant living is learning, in every circumstance, how to make God’s thoughts our thoughts. The Bible tells us that if we are in Christ, “we have the mind of Christ” (1 Corinthians 2:16). He is already alive and active in your spirit. He is guiding, directing, correcting, speaking, whispering His thoughts into the depths of your hearts. You just have to begin tuning your heart and spirit to his voice. Learn to recognize God’s voice when you hear it, discerning the good and godly messages from the ones that mean only to do you harm.