Paul makes this connection between anxiety, peace, and our thinking. But this isn't some kind of power of positive thinking stuff. Paul says if we hope to have peace in our lives, we need to dwell on things that cultivate peace, and we can't do that if we're constantly filling our minds with things that cultivate anxiety. The vast majority of what we are exposed to on a daily basis including what comes across television screens and social media does not cultivate peace. Whether it's the news, reality tv shows, or the hateful spirit we see all over social media, if we fill our minds with toxic sludge of all that stuff then we shouldn't be surprised that our hearts are filled with anxiety. Most of it is NOT true, it's not honorable, it's not just or pure. It's certainly not lovely and commendable. There is no excellence or anything worthy of praise, and really Paul is telling the Philippians to orient their minds around the virtues of Scripture, which IS true, excellent, and pure. |
