Stinking Thinking

“Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.” Philippians 4:8

I really enjoyed the movie “The Help.” It tells the story of a young white female journalist who returns home to Mississippi in the 1960s and begins writing a memoir detailing the lives of black women in her town who have spent their entire lives serving the white people there. The main character is Aibileen, and part of her responsibility is taking care of a very young child. The child’s mother constantly belittles the girl because she doesn’t measure up to the mother’s standard of “beauty” or “class.” But Aibileen constantly tells the girl, “You is smart. You is kind. You is important.”

This reminds me so much of the battle we all fight within our own minds. The enemy’s favorite tactic in attempting to destroy the children of God is planting thoughts in our minds that are contrary to God’s word. He will have us believing we’re not good enough, or smart enough, or pretty enough. He will try to convince us that we’re no good to anyone, that we’re ill-equipped to carry out the purposes God has for us. This stinking thinking, when allowed to take root, can lead to a myriad of problems, including sin, depression, hypertension, guilt, even death. But the word tells us that we can take these thoughts captive and cast down anything that goes against the word of God (II Corinthians 10:3-6). Then we can replace these false thoughts with the truth of God’s word. So whenever you struggle with false thoughts, talk to the Father through prayer and listen to the Father through His word. For it tells you that you is smart, you is kind and you is important.