There’s something each of us does at least once per week that can feel like an annoying obligation, but we know we have to do it, so we do. Can you think what it is?
No! It’s not going to church!
It’s taking out the garbage.
Think about it for a second; if no one took out the trash, what would happen in our homes outside of the smell? They’d get flooded with trash. No one wakes up in the morning and says, I’d like to make ten gallons of trash today. But we just do. Trash happens and this also applies to spiritual trash like envy, bitterness, hate, worry, fear, etc.
There’s an old adage or saying: ‘garbage in, garbage out’. The Bible puts it this way, in Proverbs 23:7, “For as he thinks in his heart, so is he.” In other words, where your mind goes, your feet follows.
To combat this debilitating mindset, Paul wrote in Philippians 4:8-9, “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. Keep putting into practice all you learned and received from me—everything you heard from me and saw me doing. Then the God of peace will be with you.”
My beloved brothers and sisters, the best way to keep garbage out is to let God’s word consume your thoughts (2 Cor 10:5). This isn’t just about the power of positive thinking. This is about making room for the things of God in our minds and giving God ample space to communicate to us.
Undoubtedly, when we dispose of the garbage that contaminates and jeopardizes our peace and sanity, we literally make room for joy, light and love in our lives. With that being said, what trash do you need to throw out today?
4GIVEN 