Capturing your thoughts...

I thought this was very interesting. Great way to put things into perspective. So very true to us all...Hard truths, but real truths.

TAKE EVERY THOUGHT CAPTIVEby Max Lucado
Today's thoughts are tomorrow's actions.Today's jealousy is tomorrow's temper tantrum. Today's bigotry is tomorrow's hate crime.Today's anger is tomorrow's abuse.Today's lust is tomorrow's adultery.Today's greed is tomorrow's embezzlement.Today's guilt is tomorrow's fear.

Could that be why Paul writes, "Love … keeps no record of wrongs" (1 Cor. 13:5 NIV)?Some folks don't know we have an option.Paul says we do: "We capture every thought and make it give up and obey Christ" (2 Cor. 10:5).What if you did that? What if you took every thought captive? What if you took the counsel of Solomon: "Be careful what you think, because your thoughts run your life" (Prov. 4:23).You are not a victim of your thoughts. You have a vote.

You have a voice. You can exercise thought prevention. Change the thoughts, and you change the person. If today's thoughts are tomorrow's actions, what happens when we fill our minds with thoughts of God's love? Will standing beneath the downpour of his grace change the way we feel about others?Paul says absolutely! It's not enough to keep the bad stuff out. We've got to let the good stuff in. It's not enough to keep no list of wrongs. We have to cultivate a list of blessings.

The same verb Paul uses for keeps in the phrase "keeps no list of wrongs" is used for think in Philippians 4:8: "Whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is gracious, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things" (RSV). Thinking conveys the idea of pondering—studying and focusing, allowing what is viewed to have an impact on us.

Rather than store up the sour, store up the sweet.