FILL YOUR MIND WITH THE WORD

Key Text: “Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee.” Isaiah 26:3

Your mind is always meditating on something. The question is not whether you think, but what you keep thinking about. When worry enters, it rarely comes alone. One thought becomes another, then another, until a small concern becomes a full blown movie playing inside your head. You start thinking, “What if this happens?” Then, “If that happens, what will I do?” Then suddenly you have developed solutions for problems that have not even happened. Worry is a very creative storyteller. Unfortunately, it rarely writes happy endings.

This is why God’s Word is such a powerful weapon in the battle against anxiety. The Word does not merely give you information about God; it gives your mind something truer to meditate on than your fears. When your mind says, “I don’t know what tomorrow holds,” God’s Word reminds you that God holds tomorrow. When your mind says, “I am alone in this,” Scripture reminds you that God has said, “I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.” When fear says, “You cannot handle this,” the Word reminds you that God’s grace is sufficient.

Isaiah says God keeps in perfect peace the person whose mind is stayed on Him. Notice that peace is connected to where the mind is anchored. This does not mean you will never have a disturbing thought. It means you do not have to allow every disturbing thought to become the landlord of your mind. You may not be able to stop a thought from knocking, but you can decide whether to open the door.

Imagine you spend the whole day listening to fearful conversations. Someone is complaining. Another person is predicting doom. You check the news. You scroll through social media. You hear another bad report. Then you go to bed and wonder why your mind is restless. Your mind has been fed all day. The question is: what did you feed it?

You cannot continually feed your mind fear and expect your heart to produce peace automatically. That is why meditation on God’s Word is not a religious exercise. It is mental warfare.

Prayer and Confession
Father, I surrender my mind to You. I refuse to allow fear, speculation and anxious imagination to dominate my thoughts. Fill my heart with Your Word and teach me to meditate on Your truth until it becomes stronger than the voices of fear. I declare that Your Word is my anchor, Your promises are my confidence, and Your presence is my peace. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Reflection
What thought has been repeatedly troubling my mind, and what does God’s Word say about it?

Further Reading: Isaiah 26:3, Joshua 1:8, Psalm 1:1-3, Philippians 4:8, Romans 12:2, 2 Corinthians 10:4-5