This morning at a Bible study we talked quite a bit about the thoughts that go through our minds at worship service. On Sunday morning one might be thinking about his Sunday afternoon nap. Another might be thinking about all the yard work he has to get done in between services. Or another might be thinking about getting on the road for vacation or a business trip.
Although we all have these thoughts from time to time, we often recognize that when our mind is in the wrong place at the wrong time it is a problem. And because of that we often try our absolute hardest to control our thoughts especially during worship. But is it only in worship where we need to control our thoughts?
I can’t help but think of the story of the paralytic healed in Matthew 9.
Remember, this is the story when the man was brought by his friends to be healed by Jesus, but the house was so full of people that they could not even get the man into the house. But demonstrating their faith in Jesus they carried their friend up to the top of the house and cut a hole in the roof and let the man down into the house.
When Jesus saw their faith He told the man to take heart that his sins were forgiven. (Matthew 9:2) This statement by Jesus set the scribes and Pharisees off thinking that Jesus had just blasphemed.(Matthew 9:3; Luke 5:21) And the following verse really hits me between the eyes, “But Jesus knowing their thoughts, said why do you think evil in your hearts?” (Matthew 9:4)
Isn’t that amazing? Jesus knew exactly what they were thinking without them ever saying a single word. I don’t know about you, but that scares me!
From time to time, my mind wanders into areas and dimensions it does not belong, and sometimes I try to rationalize it.
My rationale is this: It was just a thought! I didn’t say it! I’m not actually going to do it! While there is some admiration in not verbalizing or acting out our evil thoughts–evil thoughts should not even be entering our minds’.
“But what comes out of the mouth proceeds from the heart, and this defiles a person. For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false witness, slander. These are what defile a person.” (Matthew 15:18-20)
Do you notice that a person who has evil thoughts is no different than a murderer, thief or adulterer? And it’s all because his heart has been corrupted. Remembering this helps me to understand why loving the Lord my God with all my heart, soul, mind and strength is the greatest commandment. (Mark 12:30)
If I truly love the Lord with all my heart and mind I will not be having evil thoughts. I don’t know about you, but that is an area that I need to get fixed. I would boldly verbalize that I love the Lord with all my heart, but my thoughts don’t always match my words.
Let’s not think that our thoughts don’t matter in determining our eternal destination. Our thoughts are an indication of where our heart is. If you are having some inappropriate thoughts from time to time such as anger, lust, jealousy realize it’s a heart problem not a mind problem. Give the Lord your complete heart and the evil thoughts will go away.
That’s easier said than done right? So how do we do it?
I would suggest that we need to pray more. If an evil thought surfaces pray immediately. We are to be praying constantly anyways, (I Thessalonians 5:18) but this is a great time to take our mind from the evil thought to the proper thought.
I would also suggest that we need to control what our eyes see and our ears hear. So many times our minds’ wander because of the tv shows and movies we watch, the magazines we read or the music we listen to. Often these messages are very ungodly and influence our thinking. Let’s have the courage to turn off the immoral things our eyes see and ears hear.
However, you chose to deal with the secret things of your heart know this: “God will bring every deed into judgment, with every secret thing, whether good or evil.” (Ecclesiastes 12:14)
~by Wes Gossett