January 4, 2019
Septic Thoughts: Overcoming False Beliefs (Part 3)
Below you will find an audio of the devotion being read for you, followed by the written devotion. Listen on the go, listen as you read along, or enjoy reading it without the audio. God bless!
Critical Mass
Yesterday we discussed the need to bring discontented thoughts – thoughts that our life needs to be better or our life needs to be different – into obedience to Christ. One of the dangers of unbridled thoughts of discontent is that they can lead to critical thoughts.
Yesterday we discussed the need to bring discontented thoughts – thoughts that our life needs to be better or our life needs to be different – into obedience to Christ. One of the dangers of unbridled thoughts of discontent is that they can lead to critical thoughts.
Do you ever catch yourself finding fault in everything and everyone? Do you meet someone, and the whole time they are talking, you are analyzing how many faults they have? Can you enjoy something without picking it apart? Are you constantly criticizing coworkers, family, and church members? Can you focus on Jesus during a worship service, or are you constantly looking around and being critical of how others are worshipping, or how they aren’t worshipping? Can you listen to a sermon and mix faith with the truth being spoken, or are you too busy analyzing the speaker’s delivery?
Critical thinking can stem from a lot of things, including: jealousy, envy, discontentment, anger, frustration, pride, and arrogance. Notice that these things are all carnal works of the flesh. They are weakness we all have, and we all must fight against. We will not accidentally overcome being critical. We are going to have to be intentional and ever vigilant about it.
Matthew 7:1-3 (NJKV)
1 “Judge not, that you be not judged.
2 For with what judgment you judge, you will be judged; and with the measure you use, it will be measured back to you.
3 And why do you look at the speck in your brother’s eye, but do not consider the plank in your own eye?
We understand that this verse is not saying we are not to judge right and wrong/good and evil. The context is less about what you are judging, as it is how you are judging. What is your motive and what is your attitude behind the judgement? Are you being condemning and critical? Are you being arrogant and self-righteous? Are you being overly harsh? Those are all aspects of a critical mindset, and these verses are teaching us it is sinful.
Let’s read these verses in the Amplified Version:
Matthew 7:1-3 (AMP)
1 “Do not judge and criticize and condemn [others unfairly with an attitude of self-righteous superiority as though assuming the office of a judge], so that you will not be judged [unfairly].
2 For just as you [hypocritically] judge others [when you are sinful and unrepentant], so will you be judged; and in accordance with your standard of measure [used to pass out judgment], judgment will be measured to you.
3 Why do you look at the [insignificant] speck that is in your brother’s eye, but do not notice and acknowledge the [egregious] log that is in your own eye?”
Do you hear the resounding message against a critical mindset? The Pharisees were the group of people that most epitomized this mindset in the times of Christ, and his harshest criticism was leveled directly at them. Jesus rebuked them harshly because they judged others harshly. If you don’t believe me, read Matthew 23. That is a scathing rebuke! Jesus never talked to the women at the well that way. He never even approached harsh language when dealing with the women caught in adultery. Why? Because they were not going around harshly judging others!
I, for one, know that I need a lot of mercy and kindness. Therefore, I am going to extend mercy and kindness to others. When I find myself being critical, I am going to humble myself and ask Jesus to forgive my self-righteous attitude. It doesn’t mean I won’t judge right and wrong. It means, when I do judge right and wrong, I will do it with a right attitude and a right mindset. And when I do have to confront a wrongdoing, or correct an error, it will be done with humility and grace. I will be more of a team player by rejecting the temptation to think everything should be done my way…because that is just plain arrogant.
Let’s pause for a moment and consider our thought life. Are you struggling with thoughts of fear, anxiety, and worry? Do you have greater faith in negative things happening? Are you often discontented with your life? Do you find fault in everything and everyone? If you answered yes to any of these I have good news and bad news. The good news is that you are being honest. The bad news is that you have some work cut out for you.
We have to make up our minds that we are going to fight the good fight for our minds. We are not going to be captive to our mindsets. Instead, we are going to take our thoughts captive! It comes down to a choice.
Road-kill Diet
The major key to overcoming toxic thoughts is learning to focus on thoughts that are in agreement with the word of God. We have to use the truth of God’s word as a filter for our minds. It is imperative that we fill our minds with the knowledge of God’s word in order to discern truth. The more we fill our minds with the word of God, the more adept we will be at exterminating toxic thoughts.
The major key to overcoming toxic thoughts is learning to focus on thoughts that are in agreement with the word of God. We have to use the truth of God’s word as a filter for our minds. It is imperative that we fill our minds with the knowledge of God’s word in order to discern truth. The more we fill our minds with the word of God, the more adept we will be at exterminating toxic thoughts.
However, we must remain vigilant. Even if our minds are good at understanding right and wrong, we still have a daily choice to focus on thoughts that are poisonous or thoughts that are powerful. We will always find what we are looking for.
Consider the example Groeschel gives us in this chapter:
“You will always find what you are looking for. Think about the difference between two birds: a vulture and a hummingbird. Vultures soar high in the sky, looking and searching. What does a vulture find? Dead things. The ugly oversized bird doesn’t stop until he finds lifeless, rotting road kill. Contrast the vulture to the tiny hummingbird. With wings flapping twenty beats a second, what does this small bird find? Not dead things and disgusting rancid meat, but instead, sweet, life-giving nectar. Daily, each bird finds what he is looking for.
The same is true for you. You can be on a road-kill diet or you can find nectar in each day. It’s up to you, because you will find what you search for. If you want to find things to be negative about or to worry about, it is not hard to do. If you plan to be critical, you don’t have to look far to find fault. If you choose to be negative, you’ll easily accomplish your goal. But if you want to see the good in life, you can find it everywhere. If you choose to watch for places God is working, you’ll see his loving presence each place you look. If you decide to look for hope, faith, and a better future, you will discover these positive things and more countless times a day.
Decide the destination of your mind. Any time your mind drifts toward dangerous thoughts, stop. Grab those runaway thoughts. Do whatever it takes to get the trash out of your mind. An Old Testament prophet said to God, “You see me and test my thoughts about you. Drag them off like sheep to be butchered! Set them apart for the day of slaughter!” (Jer. 12:3). Can you hear the passion for truth in Jeremiah’s words? He asked God to test his thoughts, identify any that were “black sheep,” drag them off, and butcher them.
Are you willing to ask God to do the same with your thought life?” (1)
Mind Makeover: God Edition
Groeschel closes this chapter on Septic thoughts by encouraging us to change our thought life by seeking after God thoughts. Neither Groeschel or myself is saying you should adopt the power of positive thinking, or shape your life with positive-affirmation statements.
What we are saying is that you need to use every ounce of your will power to cling to God thoughts and reject toxic thoughts. Daily, we need our minds to be washed by the water of the Word (Bible study). Daily we need to come before God in prayer and spend time allowing Him to restore our minds. Daily, we need to resist being conformed to this world’s way of thinking, present our bodies a living sacrifice before God, and be renewed in our minds. This word renewed (in Romans 12:2) means “to restore, to renovate, to make better than new.” When we allow God to renew our mind, He doesn’t just restore it to its best previous condition. He makes it better than ever before!
Let’s let the closing words of Groeschel’s chapter encourage us as we wrap up today’s devotion:
“If you want to live a clean life in a polluted world, you must remove the seeds of poison from within. Practice taking every thought captive. Ask God to identify and help remove the life-draining ideas and images from your mind. Fill your thoughts with his truth and the beauty of his goodness. Renew your mind and watch your faith grow in ways that will astound you.” (2)
(1) Groeschel, Craig. Soul Detox: Clean Living in a Contaminated World (pp. 50-51). Zondervan. Kindle Edition.
(2) Groeschel, Craig. Soul Detox: Clean Living in a Contaminated World (p. 52). Zondervan. Kindle Edition.