THINK

Philippians 4:8 – For the rest, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is worthy of reverence and is honorable and seemly, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely and lovable, whatever is kind and winsome and gracious, if there is any virtue and excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, THINK on and weigh and take account of these things [fix your minds on them].

I received another phone call from my son’s school saying that more testing would be needed in order to help assess the level of his learning difference in regards to reading. This phone call and these issues have been ongoing for over a year now, and so have my prayers. Healings of children are purposely scattered throughout scripture, and I know from my own personal healing history that miracles do still happen. But, after I hung up the phone that day, my mind switched into auto pilot and started counting and recounting all the UNanswered prayers in my life. A family member who has been battling a chronic pain syndrome for over 15 years, a friend going through a vicious divorce with a child locked dead in the center, another close family member battling addiction … and now this.

BUT GOD …… Don’t you love those two little words that act as a crossroads on our life’s journey (or our mind’s journey through life), a redirection as we barrel down a darkened road. But God showed me in His word during my usual devotional reading this powerhouse verse. Sure, I’ve read it many, many times, but this day I heard it spoken from God’s own precious mouth, digested it, and understood it. “My beloved daughter, don’t dwell on those negative thoughts, those prayers that in your eyes and with your understanding I have not answered. Instead, dwell on Me. I am true, worthy of reverence, honorable, just, pure, lovely, loveable, kind, winsome, gracious, virtuous, and excellent.”

After about thirty minutes of tears of grief, I started meditating on those words and on the One who spoke them. My sadness and disappointment turned to hope and peace. The negatives no longer had me by the throat. I could now easily focus on all the wonderful things surrounding this situation. The loving and devoted team of teachers who were working earnestly on my son’s behalf, the knowledge that my son belonged to God long before he belonged to me, and the assurance that God had such a beautifully orchestrated plan for my child’s life, one that I couldn’t even dare to dream of in my wildest imagination.

God tells us in His word to think on Him for a reason. He knows that at any given moment the phone could ring, the car could swerve, the doctor could be helpless and we would be swallowed whole by the jaws of despair. God’s one size fits all remedy –Think on Me!