What's in your head?

 

Yep.  That's the obvious answer to the question in my title.  Everyone has a brain in their head.

I guess the real question is this:  What are you filling your brain with?  What are you taking the time to really think about.  What are you telling yourself ABOUT YOU?

Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable--if anything is excellent or praiseworthy--think about such things. 

Philippians 4:8

I like to think.  I like to plan.  I like to daydream.  Most of the time, my thoughts fall into the above categories.  Sometimes, though, I worry.  Worry is not an approved godly activity.  It fills our minds with fear and doubt instead of faith and hope.

25“Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes? 26Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? 27Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life^b?

28“And why do you worry about clothes? See how the lilies of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. 29Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. 30If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? 31So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ 32For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. 33But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. 34Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.

Matthew 6:25-34

So there it is, I need to fill my head with things that are noble, right, pure, lovely... you get the picture?  I shouldn't be filling my mind with how terrible life is and that everyone hates me and I can't do anything right.

BUT...

When I listen to the world, to the messages I get all around me, every day... I get words like "thin", "wealthy", "ugly", "sexy", "smart", "powerful"...

A lot of messages - I have to filter out which things are honorable.  Which things will help me to be a healthy, whole person.  What messages are honoring to God.

Here's the problem.  

I often pick the WRONG messages.  It's true.  It is hard sometimes to convince myself that what LOOKS good, is not always what IS good.  In fact, I love the way a McDonalds Cheeseburger LOOKS on my tray, I even like the way it FEELS in my hand.  I love it that it FILLS my belly.  When I eat a cheeseburger, I also have to recognize what it DOES to my body.  It can look, feel, smell, and taste great, but if it contributes to a growing waist line, it is not good for my body and I should not be spending my time filling my mind and gut with the "benefits" of such a treat.

Okay, I didn't set out to write about McDonalds, or Cheeseburgers.  In fact, I wanted to talk about what I am saying to myself about myself.  When I eat that cheeseburger, I am giving myself a message.  Because I know it is not good for my body, what I am telling myself is, "one time won't hurt".  Or "I deserve a special treat", or "I'll make things better tomorrow."  "Today's choice doesn't matter".

I'm sure I've heard so many of those exact same statements, when being trained about abuse - how people position others to make them ready for receiving abuse.  Am I positioning myself in a manner that will allow me to abuse my own body?  Yep.  In fact, I am.

So how do I change those messages?

If I truly don't want harm my own body, I have to change the words I say to myself.

Here it is.  I'm working on putting the following phrases into my mind:

"I am healthy and athletic"

"I enjoy exercising"

"The choices I make today are more important than the choices I might decide to make tomorrow."

I didn't just decide that I was going to make those the messages I need to hear.  I carefully chose my messages and I remind myself regularly.  I especially remind myself when I am getting ready to make a decision I might regret.  Am I slim and trim, making all healthy choices all the time?  Not yet.  But I'm getting there.  I'm making better choices every day.

What about you?  What are the messages you are telling yourself?  What messages do you want to tell yourself?