Orient your thoughts

"When I think of my distress and my misery, of absinthe and poison, when my soul remembers it, it is slaughtered within me, here is what I want to pass in my heart, which give hope : The goodness of the Lord is not exhausted, his mercies are not at an end, they are renewed every morning ..." Lamentations 3.19-23

Jeremy, the author of this text, tells us that he chooses, at a given moment, to redirect his thoughts. He realizes that when his thoughts are turned to the negative aspects of his existence, to his dramas, his failures, his disappointments, he is downcast and discouraged. Then he decides to think differently, to think of the goodness of God, his faithfulness, his compassion, and he sees that discouragement runs away.

We can not change the circumstances, but we can direct our thoughts to the one who is the master of the circumstances.

Let's remember the verb he uses : "I want". He decides to impose a new orientation on his thoughts.

This text tells us that we have the power (if we want it), to direct our thoughts in one direction or another. Many thoughts can cross our mind, but we can choose to hunt or maintain them. As has been said : "We can not prevent birds from flying above our heads, but we can prevent them from nesting in our hair."

Jeremiah has decided to direct his thoughts to the goodness of God, and to drive from his mind the negative thoughts of his suffering. It is our responsibility to do the same.

If you have received bad news, if wicked words have hurt you, refuse to keep your thoughts focused on these things and decide to turn them to God's love and faithfulness.

As Asaph thought about the prosperity of the wicked and his own disappointments, he would sink into revolt and bitterness, but he decided to confess the goodness and faithfulness of God, and his vision of things was changed (Psalm 73). We can not change the circumstances, but we can direct our thoughts to the one who is master of the circumstances and return to our thoughts his fidelity and his mercy.

A decision for today

The decision to cherish such and such thoughts belongs to you. Like Jeremiah, make the right choice. Decide not to think about poison, wormwood, wounds, but to think about the goodness of God manifested in Jesus Christ who died for you.

Paul Calzada

Source (The Thought of the Day)