There are many reasons I chose this verse to help me back to the Place of Peace. It was written from prison by a person who knew what it was to keep the peace. It is in a larger context that includes prayer and obedience. I have often used it to encourage and challenge others. Now it's "Physician, heal thyself."The idea in this verse is to intentionally focus on spiritual thinking. In my case this means to substitute spiritual thoughts for the destructive patterns that run through my mind and are peace-stealers: critical thoughts, worst-case scenarios, rehearsed tongue-lashings, outright panic.
The writer begins, "whatever is true..." - What a world of things are here and yet somehow missed by those who are stressed out, over anxious (like me). Chief among these are the growing catalog of blessings which God has shown in the past which should be the foundation for trust in the future; things like safe travel, health, food, shelter, family, church and friends. Add to these general blessings, those situational blessings given as needed - when mom broke her hip or when we needed to move to the "perfect" house. These things are true, evidence of the true and living God quickly forgotten if not intentionally remembered.
This month I will begin remembering and continue to reflect on those things that are true.
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