“The Lord detests the thoughts of the wicked, but those of the pure are pleasing to him” (15:26). From this proverb it is evident that God is concerned about the contents of our thoughts. Implied here also is the fact that we are accountable for our thoughts. Instances of mental illness aside, in normal circumstances we choose what we think about. We entertain thoughts as we might entertain guests in our home. And we should be discerning and disciplined about the ‘guests’ we admit. Some thoughts may come uninvited, but we can decide how to respond to them. It may not be possible to expel a thought out of your mind. The most destructive thoughts, those that come from pride, lust, resentment and so forth, tend to be persistent. The best way to deal with these thoughts is to bring them into the light of God. Bring those thoughts into dialogue with the Holy Spirit who dwells within you. In this way you can defeat them as the lies within them are exposed. Unwanted thoughts can be clues to deeper issues that God wants to deal with. So, we should always talk to God about them. Whatever you do, however, do not allow yourself to entertain them. Don’t let your imagination run away and play with sinful thoughts. If you do, they will damage you for sure. God wants to cleanse your thought life if you are willing to bring everything into conversation with him.
Ask God to help you overcome sinful thoughts.
Read Proverbs 15:26-33
