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Some of us are pretty good at keeping our composure on the outside. We really want people to like us, so we may not just blast the people around us verbally. However, we may nurse hatred in our hearts, get easily offended, or keep a chip on our shoulder that no one else ever sees. Well… almost no one.
Ezekiel 11:5
Then the Spirit of the Lord came upon me, and he told me to say, “This is what the Lord says to the people of Israel: I know what you are saying, for I know every thought that comes into your minds.”
The verse above lets us know that God knows our every thought. That lets me know that I don’t just need to consider my actions as being accountable to God, but also how I’m thinking.
The definition of meditation is: to think deeply or focus one's mind for a period of time; think deeply or carefully about (something). Consider.
I see a very obvious link between thinking and meditating. Meditating on something is to think on it, consider it, and in turn it becomes a part of your actions because it has already resonated with you in your mind. How can we make sure that the things we are meditating on are going help our actions be beneficial for our life?
Joshua 1:8
Study this Book of Instruction continually. Meditate on it day and night so you will be sure to obey everything written in it. Only then will you prosper and succeed in all you do.
We think continually about what the Word says, and we will succeed with our actions!
Psalms 119
We meditate on your unfailing love
I will meditate on your wonderful deeds
I will meditate on your majestic, glorious splendor and your wonderful miracles.
I meditate on your decrees
I’m pretty sure if we are daily thinking on God’s love toward us, on all the ways He’s blessed us, on the amazing miracles we’ve seen, and on His holy Word, we are not going to be too nervous about the idea of God knowing our every thought! I’m pretty sure if we are daily focusing on thinking about these things, our actions are going to be more on the positive side and help us make good choices for our lives and our family.
I really try to guard my thoughts and the things that influence my thought life. I know how easy it is to start meditating on an idea or advice someone else has spoken to me, so I try to not put myself in the position of inputting wrong mindsets to fight against.
I can’t imagine that if God wants us to meditate on His Word daily and continually, that Satan would just sit back and give us a thumbs up. I can’t imagine if we are to think about God’s love, good deeds, and splendor, that Satan would just walk away while we do. He can’t actually get into our minds without us allowing him there, so how could the Father of Lies get us to meditate on his lies, deceit, and destructive ways of thinking?
We know Satan, Lucifer, was an absolutely gorgeous angel. He was a leader among leaders of all the other angels. We don’t know for certain if he was in charge of worship, but we do know as the head angel, he certainly would have lead the way in worshipping God. The Bible also offers us this insight about him:
Ezekiel 28: The workmanship of your timbrels and pipes was prepared for you on the day you were created.
We see he had instruments prepared just for him, so we have to assume that music had to have been a part of what he produced in heaven.
For me personally, I have come to see that the music I listen to can really stick with me throughout the day. Some songs are just so darn catchy! They have some particular lines and phrases that I find myself repeating over and over again throughout the day. I’ve even frustratingly said, “Man! I can’t get this song out of my head!”
One day it hit me, if meditating is thinking on something over and over again, aren’t I actually meditating on these songs if I am repeating them to myself over and over again? Whoa. All of a sudden, I realize that I can’t just be naïve about the songs I choose to allow in my head. When I hear certain songs, I know for 100% sure that God was not involved in creating the lyrics. Other songs, may not be in themselves evil, but they create a pattern of thoughts in my mind that are not healthy for me to meditate on.
For example, say a song is written by a girl, who is ticked off at her boyfriend. She is reiterating over and over again how she is worth more than that and he can just kiss her good-bye. Well, why would I , as a married Christian woman, choose to repeat break-up lyrics from a ticked off girl? What is the first thing that’s going to pop into my mind the next time my husband really makes me mad? “Oh yeah, well you can just kiss me good-bye!”
Other songs are a little more obvious. If I’m listening to music about fornication, illicit lust, and hatred overload, I’m not stupid. I know exactly the types of thoughts those songs are going to get me thinking on, and I know exactly the types of actions that are going to result.
I would never want to cause someone else to feel paranoid about the music they listen to. And I would never want to insinuate that we must always listen to only Christian music. I would want to raise awareness though. I want to help us see that maybe some of our wrong thinking patterns have been because we have been meditating on the wrong things.
My thoughts become my actions. My actions create the life I am experiencing. Are my meditations focused on positive things or are they being directed by people that are lost, broken, and confused?
Father God, I am starting to see how important my thoughts are. Please help me guard my thoughts, and protect my mind from influences that can be used by the enemy to get me off track. I pray for wisdom in my choices. Please help me to focus my thoughts on You throughout the day! Please help me recognize when specific sources are causing my mind to think on things that go against Your Word. You see my every thought and I always want them to be pleasing to You.