“And now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing. Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise.” ‭‭Philippians‬ ‭4:8‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Have you ever thought about how one small piece of equipment can direct a huge vehicle? Whether it's a semi-truck or a sailing ship, the steering wheel sets the course for the rest of the vehicle. Tom and I have had the opportunity to travel on several cruise ships and the honest truth is that when we are on the ship, we don't pay attention to the steering, even when weather has made our travels bumpy. We trust that the captain and his crew are making the best decisions for our safety as well as our enjoyment.

Have you ever considered how your thoughts “steer the ship” of your life? Do you pay attention to how your thoughts guide your emotions? What do you find yourself thinking about? Does faith or fear steer your thoughts? Do you find yourself anxious and uncertain? Do you find yourself trying to manage the worst-case scenario that is playing out in your imagination? You know, that thing that hasn’t actually happened, but because you have spent so much time dwelling in thought about it, you are sure that it actually will. How do you feel as that plays out in your mind? I would guess that your body and emotions are responding to that situation as if it were actually happening...but it isn't! You may find yourself responding in a real way to an imagined interaction. Who needs that?! Wouldn't you rather spend your energy on something more positive and real?

If you struggle with negative thoughts, you are not alone! My mind always used to go down the worst road. I found myself anxious and unhappy. But I realized that how I thought was up to me. I realized that I could take control of the direction of my thoughts, and that when I did that, it changed my perspective on everything that was happening in my life.

It takes a choice and some diligence and discipline. But you can control your thoughts. Where do you want your thoughts to go? How do you want to feel? What part do you want faith to have in your life? You can choose where to focus your thoughts rather than let them control you!
So, let’s get started!

Determine where your thoughts are focused. Start by evaluating the direction of your thoughts. Most of us have not learned how to be self-aware. Steering a ship starts with knowing where you are and where you want to go. How you are feeling is a good indicator of what your mind is focused on. Do you feel anxious and unhappy? What thoughts are adding to those feelings? Changing your direction begins with recognizing your current course. You can’t make any course corrections until you know where you are. So, start here.

Decide to fix your thoughts on God’s truth. Once you are aware of how your thoughts are steering you, choose some truths from God’s Word to focus on. What are the truths that apply to your situation? Here are a few to get you started:

Romans 8:28 - And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. (The whole chapter is full of encouraging truth!)

Isaiah 26:3-4 - You will keep in perfect peace those whose minds are steadfast, because they trust in you. Trust in the Lord forever, for the Lord, the Lord himself, is the Rock eternal.

Psalm 103:13-14 - As a father has compassion on his children, so the Lord has compassion on those who fear him; for he knows how we are formed, he remembers that we are dust.

Isaiah 41:10 - So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.

Isaiah 43:1-3 - “Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have summoned you by name; you are mine. When you pass through the waters, I will be with you;and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you.When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze. For I am the Lord your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior..."

Psalm 55:22 - Cast your cares on the Lord and he will sustain you;he will never let the righteous be shaken.

1 Peter 5:6-7 - Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time. Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.

There are so many Scriptures that you can choose from to remind you that God loves you and He’s got you. You decide what to think about and then find ways to remind yourself of these truths.

Dwell in thought on a few key Scriptures. Even people who have learned to love the Bible can sometimes feel overwhelmed by it. There is a lot there! 66 books have a lot of words and cover a lot of ground! But the Bible is where we can go to find out what God says about life, about our identity and about how to respond to life in ways that honor Him. You don't need to memorize all 66 books. You just need to find the truths that will help you right here and now.

Every New Year our church does a Leave a Burden/Pick a promise service. Each person is given a slip of paper to write out something they want to leave behind from the old year. That slip is dropped in a trash can and following the service the pastoral team takes them outside and burns them before the Lord as a symbol of letting all those burdens go into His hands. As part of our pastoral team, I can tell you that is one of the most holy moments of the year! We experience Gods presence as He receives the offering of those burdens. After dropping their burden, each person heads over to a table where they pick up a New Testament and Old Testament promise from Scripture. We are encouraged to take those promises and meditate on them for the coming year.

This is one of my favorite services of every year. I prayerfully prepare for the service and reach for that promise paper with expectation. I expect God to speak to me through those verses. I take them and pray over them, highlight them in my Bible and review them from time to time throughout the year. God has used those promises to remind me of His active presence in my life many times.

Your church may not do a New Year's service, but you can leave a burden and pick a promise at any time of year. Write out your burden and determine a way to offer that to the Lord. Maybe you burn that piece of paper or tear it up so small that it can no longer be read. But, after offering that burden to the Lord it is important that you replace it with a promise from God's Word. You only need to focus on one or two promises to make a difference in the way you think. Meditate, fix your thoughts, on those promises. Speak them as truth. Trust God to be faithful to His Word. When you do that, you will steer your ship toward peace and joy in God's presence. Try it!

Dear Friend, you and I both know that life is stressful. There is no way around that. The perfect world, designed for humans to live in God's presence, was marred the moment that Eve listened to the serpent. That broken system is what you and I live in. But God sent Jesus to restore what has been lost. Jesus opened the door through the cross so that we can once again live in God's presence. We won't experience that in perfection until the day we see Him face to face, but we can begin to experience it now. As you and I determine to fix our thoughts on God's truth and let those truths guide our responses, we will steer our lives toward God rather than away from Him. The closer we get to Him, the more peace we will experience in the midst of our stressful lives. I have found that to be true as I have made the effort to shift my thoughts. I want that for you, my friend! You can steer your ship rather than let your thoughts steer you!

Key Thought: You get to choose how you think. Your thoughts steer your life.

A Scripture to Consider: And now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing. Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise.” ‭‭Philippians‬ ‭4:8‬ ‭NLT‬‬

A YES Challenge: Take some time to consider how your thoughts have been steering your responses to the challenge you are currently facing. What truth from God's word would steer your responses in more Christ-like direction? Write out Philippians 4:8 on an index card or set it as a reminder on your phone to help remind you to fix your thoughts on God's truth.

Prayer: Father, I have allowed my thoughts to steer me in the direction of fear and anxiety rather than faith and trust in You. Forgive me for letting my negative thoughts control me. Help me choose to fix my thoughts on You and Your truth. Help me to remember that You are bigger than all my problems. Help me to remember that You are good, You love me and You will work everything out for my good and for Your glory. Amen.