Why Thoughts Matter

Maintaining personal peace involves both the heart and the mind. Isaiah 26:3 says of the Lord, “You will keep in perfect peace all who trust in you, all whose thoughts are fixed on you!” (NLT).

Why do thoughts matter? Because what we think about ultimately affects what we do. Proverbs 23:7 says, “For as [a man] thinks in his heart, so is he” (NKJV). Guard your mind. Protect it. Think about what you’re going to watch or what you’re going to download and listen to.

Ask yourself whether what you’re going to do will build you up or tear you down spiritually, because ultimately it will affect your actions.

The apostle Paul wrote to the believers in Philippi, “And now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing. Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise” (Philippians 4:8 NLT).

We need to think about godly things more, and we need to think biblically. Replace thoughts of anxiety, worry, and panic with godly thoughts. And turn your panic into prayer. Pray for little things and big things. Pray for everything.

The Bible says, “Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:6–7 NLT).

The rain falls, the Bible says, on both the just and the unjust (see Matthew 5:45). Everyone has trouble in life. Nonbelievers experience tragedies, and Christians experience tragedies as well. So fill your mind with the Word of God, and it will be there to strengthen you in your time of need.