Emily turned around and thought, I don’t like you as she walked into the kitchen to follow the directions her dad had given her. She stood at the sink alone and continued to think mean things about him as she washed the dishes. By the time she finished all of the dishes she was so angry! She even had tears in her eyes!
Emily knew that her parents could not know the terrible things she was thinking, so she was not worried about getting in trouble. However, she did not realize that her thoughts would make her feel horrible, and now she was even more upset than before. Even more than that, Emily did not realize that she needed to be careful with what she thinks in her head, because even if no one else knew, God did.
Do you know that even your thoughts matter?
I am sure you know that you should not say disrespectful things to an adult or mean things to a friend, right? But sometimes, you may think it is okay to say or think whatever you want when you are alone and no one is listening.
The Bible says that your thoughts matter and that your thoughts will control your actions and your life. Proverbs 4:23 reminds us, “Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it.” God wants you to keep your mind and your heart focused on Him, and that can’t happen when your head is filled with negative and sinful thoughts!
Your mind is an open door to your heart. The words you think and say to yourself turn into feelings, and those feelings get inside your heart. Mean thoughts will pop into your head, but do not let them stay! Ask God to remove them and to help you keep your mind and heart clear of bad things! This way your mind can always be focused on Him.
Dear God, thank You for reminding me that my thoughts matter. Help me to know when bad thoughts start feeling at home in my mind, and help me replace those thoughts with ones that make You smile. In Jesus’s name, amen.