It is often said you are what you eat. Even more true than that, you are what you think. Virtually all of our actions come from conscience thought. Even our impulses are governed by our history of thinking. One of my biggest challenge as a Christian is keeping pure thoughts in my mind and impure thoughts out. Regardless of what these thoughts are, they are just as sinful as if we followed through on them. Thinking of calling in sick to take advantage of a sunny day? How is that any different in God's eyes than actually following through with the phone call? Jesus gives us the example in Matthew 5:27-28 when he says that you have already committed adultery in your heart if you lust after another woman. No physical act of adultery is necessary. He says the same thing about murder in Matthew 5:21-22.
This makes so much sense when you stand back and look at the teachings of the New Testament. It isn't about following a litany of rules. It is about following those rules laid out with your heart, and if you are filling your mind with thoughts that are contrary to Christ's teachings, it is impossible to pursue Christ with your heart.
How do you go about filling your mind with thoughts that are pure? In Luke 11:34-36 we are again told by Jesus told us "Your eye is the lamp of your body." What are you showing your eyes? Are they parked in front of a computer screen for hours on end doing something as seemingly benign as online chatting causing you to neglect your family, your job and your spiritual life, or spending hours looking at pornography or using searching for loopholes trying to figure out how to squeeze more money out of your business partner. To God, there is no difference and these examples and thousands of others that are impacting the way you think. Paul tells us we must remove ourselves from the ways of this world in Romans 12:1-2, "be transformed by the renewing of your mind." If only it were so simple!
It is easy to say you can control these thoughts and stop trying to rid yourself of them. After all, how much harm can really come from telling a few really good dirty jokes? Don't give up though. That is exactly what Satan wants you to do. Even Paul felt the pressure to give up in 2 Corinthians 4:16-18, but he gives us the answer as well. We fix our eyes, our "lamps" on what is unseen, what is eternal.
The tools we have at our disposal to overcome these thoughts are powerful. Paul writes in 2 Corinthians 10:5 that we can take each thought we have and submit it to God for his control. How do you take your thoughts captive and submit it to God's control though? This isn't something you can turn off like a light switch. You have to work out for yourself how you do this, but I have a few suggestions.
I can't wrap this up any better than Paul did in his letter to the Church at Philippi in Philippians 4:8 and I'll quote from "The Message" paraphrase: "Summing it all up, friends, I'd say you'll do best by filling your minds and meditating on things true, noble, reputable, authentic, compelling, gracious - the best, not the worst; the beautiful, not the ugly; things to praise, not things to curse."
Last updated April 21, 2003. Check my web site at bellsouthpwp.net/e/h/ehansberry (web link) to see if you have the latest.