Humans have a strange fascination with what’s crooked and twisted. We go out of our way to visit haunted houses, we consume true crime podcasts like they’re daily coffee, we doomscroll tragic videos and news articles, and we simmer on rage-filled comments on social media.
No wonder we’re so anxious.
Romans 12:2 says, “Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind…” If your mind leads to your heart, then your attention is a constant battlefield.
As believers, it is with our attention that we must fight against evil and darkness. You can either:
If you’ve surrendered to Christ, God has already laid claim to your soul. Now, how will you wade into the realities of this new life He’s given you? Philippians 4:8–9 gives a list to guide us through intentional, Christ-centered meditation:
Most of our anxieties flow from what’s false: the lies we tell ourselves, the deceitfulness of the enemy, the empty promises of the world. But what does God tell us, because He is Truth itself (John 14:6)?
Fill your mind with truth, from what’s revealed in Scripture to what’s examinable in creation. Meditate on Psalm 131—a simple reminder that many things in this world are too great for us to understand or control. Instead, we can quiet our souls and learn to live like a child in the hands of our trusted heavenly Father.
To honor something is to deem it weighty and worthy of respect, things that reflect the nobility of Jesus. Honorable thoughts lift our minds above shallow, sarcastic, and self-centered thinking and direct our attention to eternal and excellent things.
Think about King Jesus. Read about Him commanding the tumultuous waves and stormy seas with just His words (Luke 8:22–25). Imagine the heavenly armies of angels who are ready to act in obedience to Him within a matter of milliseconds.
Justice only goes so far as the judge. Our worldly standard of justice falls short of the heavenly realities of God’s throne. To focus on what is truly just is to fixate on God’s standard of righteousness, not yours.
Take a moment to focus on what God loves—faithful people standing for His glory. Remember Daniel, who prayed to God despite it being outlawed (Daniel 6:6–13). Remember Esther, who saved God’s people from annihilation by persuading the king, even if it almost cost her life (Esther 4:12–17).
Keeping our thoughts free from impurity is like tending a garden. When poisonous thoughts creep in like weeds, we must yank them out quickly, lest they choke out the beauty of God and His creation.
Meditate on what’s clean, holy, and untainted by sin. Think of the last time someone showed sacrificial service and generosity to you in genuine love (1 Corinthians 13:4–7). Rejoice in healthy marriages, humble church leaders, and repentant brothers and sisters in Christ.
Loveliness is anything that reflects the beauty, delight, and grace of God in this world. It draws our gaze upward in awe and tunes our hearts to the sweet aroma of Christ (2 Corinthians 2:15).
Where do you see or feel God’s beauty most clearly? Reflect on nature’s simplicity and God sustaining all of creation—the wind in the trees, the birds in the air, the flowers in the field. Rejoice in rich moments with close friends, both times of belly laughter and sorrowful weeping. Take notice and cherish them.
When something is commendable, it’s worthy of our approval. We must train our minds to recognize Christ-like qualities that reflect the beautiful standards of God’s kingdom and imitate them.
Make a list of things you love about God, things you want the Holy Spirit to cultivate in you. Meditate on His humility, grace, patience, forgiveness, kindness, and gentleness (Psalm 103:8–14; Philippians 2).
Excellence stretches beyond just “good.” It’s exceedingly great. Filling your mind with excellent things means training your attention toward whatever is masterfully done for God’s glory. Though excellence is only a shadow of the Creator, it’s the first step in seeing the shadow’s source (Revelation 4:11).
Where do you see His excellence? Maybe it’s a well-written liturgy or song. Perhaps it’s the beautiful cinematography or photography of landscapes. Maybe it’s an intentionally crafted painting, drawing, or sculpture. Rejoice in these things.
Praise means celebration. When you see a glimpse of God in anything that rightly reflects His glory, make a big deal out of it! Setting your mind on praise-worthy things means hunting down His fingerprints.
Take a moment to thank God for His fingerprints in your life. Where has He provided? Where has He comforted? Where has He grown you? Where has He uplifted you? Rejoice and thank Him.
Want to dive deeper? Check out our sermon series guide on the book of Philippians, or watch the most recent sermon from our Philippians sermon series.
