Whatever

Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy – meditate on these things.
           (Philippians 4:8)

Yesterday was a day filled with anxiety, tension, confusion, etc. A person I love dearly was lied to and lied about to others. The day was probably not the complete disaster that you might expect from reading the first part of this paragraph. However, it was one of those days we are glad to put behind us, hoping that the tomorrow will make up for it and put a positive balance in our emotional bank account.

In most of the situations the circumstances were beyond my control. There was nothing I could do but ride the day out to its end. I ended the day tired. I did not end it with praise. I did not end it thinking about purity and justice. I did not end it looking for the things of good report. I saw no virtue or praise. I meditated on myself, and therein lies the problem.

If I center only on me rather than the One who is alive in and through me, I will have a hard time finding truth, because I must seek truth in the One who is Truth, I will mourn the loss of purity because I am not pure, there will be no good report because slander, whether it is heard or spoken, rarely centers on the good in another. So, it is easy to see how one can arrive at a time for sleep having not experienced virtue and having praises unspoken.

Maybe if I start the day differently myself, concentrating on those words of encouragement from Philippians, I will find it better for myself and make it better for others as well.

Pastor Craig