Week 4 – Pure
How much stuff do we thoughtlessly allow into our hearts and minds? Every day we are bombarded with thousands of ideas from advertisements, friends, and social media. Some of these are good things and some, well, not so much.
Is it even possible to keep our thoughts pure in the world we live in? With the onslaught of violence and sexually explicit content in everything from movies to games…with the constant pull of materialism and trying to stay “on trend”…with the never-ending dissatisfaction driven by comparison of our own lives with others…it seems like an impossible current to overcome.
It isn’t easy, and the truth is that until we reach heaven we will never perfect our thoughts. But we can make great strides towards maintaining purity of mind, and God laid out a clear road map for us.
Psalm 119:9-11 says, “How can a young man keep his way pure? By keeping it according to Your word. With all my heart I have sought You; Do not let me wander from Your commandments. Your word I have treasured in my heart, that I may not sin against You.” (NASB)
And there it is again! I don’t know about you, but I’ve definitely noticed a recurring theme these past few weeks. Once again, the key to maintaining our minds the way God has called us to is…God’s Word. Keeping it. Seeking it wholeheartedly. Treasuring it. Storing it up in our hearts.
There is also another piece to moving towards purity of mind: understanding what’s important.
Paul tells us in Philippians 1:10, “For I want you to understand what really matters, so that you may live pure and blameless lives until the date of Christ’s return.” (NLT)
How often do we stop to consider that this is God’s world and that we are just passing through? If we genuinely understood and internalized this truth, it would dramatically shift our perspective and redirect our priorities.
Those shoes that are just the perfect amount of cute. Shiny new cars with all the latest tech. Cute outfits for our kids that make them look like they belong on the cover of a children’s clothing magazine. Totally on-point Christmas gifts that are sure to impress.
There is nothing inherently wrong with any of these. God gave us things to enjoy on this earth because He loves us and wants us to find joy and pleasure in life. But what He desires even more is for these things to direct us back towards Himself, rather than for them to obsess us and take over our minds.
The Creator is far more fulfilling than the created. Once we realize this, the desire to keep ourselves and our minds pure for the One who created us will take precedence over everything else.
This week, ask God to shift your perspective. Ask Him to unveil your eyes so that the things He created take their proper place in your heart. Ask Him to reshape your desires until He becomes your highest priority, and to show you areas in your life where purity is lacking. These are prayers He will love to answer!