What is Your Mind Telling You?

“Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock.”

-Matthew 7:24

One of our favorite places to visit on our road trips is Gilchrist Blue Springs in Florida. Gilchrist Blue provides sanctuary for 1000’s of species, and its crystal clear, turquoise water is mesmerizing. The main pool is fed by a natural underground spring that produces over 44 million gallons of water per day, and the first few steps you take into it make your skin pimple with goosebumps. The water is cool, crisp, refreshing, and inviting; it calls forth a deep inhale and exaggerated exhale. 

Places like the Gilchrist Blue breathe life into my weary heart and soul. They are a little taste of heaven​​—a gentle whisper from God. 

Proverbs 4:23 likens our hearts to a “wellspring.” They can be a source of refreshing life - like Gilchrist Blue, or suffocating death - like the Mudpots in Yellowstone. The state of our hearts is central to the kind of life we experience. 

The Bible often interchanges the terms “heart” and “mind.” To me, that means they’re inseparable, intertwined at the core of our being. Our thoughts, behaviors, and actions are all tied to the state of our hearts. 

A statistic that floats around the coaching and psychology community claims we have around 60,000 thoughts per day and that 80% of them are negative. Now, I can’t find the exact study from which that statistic originated, but I can tell you that, in my experience, the sentiment holds true. 

After all, how many times a day do you find yourself thinking negative, depressive, fearful, or anxious thoughts? If you’re anything like me, I bet it's more than you’d like to admit. 

Our self-talk and thoughtlife are an overflow of our internal wellspring; they are symptoms of what we believe about who we are and whose we are. So if you don’t like what your spring is producing (depression, anxiety, low self-esteem, etc.), it’s time to start filtering your thoughts through the truth. 

Just like we filter our water to remove the dirt, minerals, and toxic additives, we must do the same for our thoughts using God’s word. Philippians 4:8-9 says, “whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things… and the God of peace will be with you.” (NIV) 

Restful Rhythm:

Set your Bible open somewhere in the morning you frequent, like the bathroom counter or next to your coffee maker. Read 1-2 verses while you get ready or make your coffee. Notice how your day changes as a result of meditating on truth first thing each morning. 

Journal Question:

How are your current thoughts serving you? (What is their source - Truth or Lie?)