Who Controls What You Think? Find Mental Clarity in a Cluttered World

Who controls what we think? Can we find mental clarity in all the clutter?

Are our thoughts just automatic responses to billboards and online ads?
Are we like computers, responding in our minds to all of the inputs around us. The family we grew up with, the friends from school, the messages from our culture, are they what determine what we think, and what we think about?

The politicians are telling us that because someone posts an article on facebook they are forcing us to vote in a certain way. As if, fools that we are, we cannot think for ourselves. So, can we think for ourselves?

Can We Think for Ourselves?

That depends. It turns out that we can choose to control our thinking, but if we do not control it, someone else will. We are made to be the King’s deputies in our world, but first we must be His deputy in our own lives. As our power in our own life grows, our impact on the world around us, through the Spirit’s power, will also grow.

Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.
Romans 12:2 (NIV)

The Apostle Paul, in Romans 12:2 directs us to participate in the renewing of our minds. That is the beginning of the change. With a renewed mind, we are able to “test and approve” God’s will. With a cluttered mind, controlled by outside messages, we have no hope of thinking clearly about the things God needs us to focus on.

A New Mental Clarity

But once we do start to think clearly, listening to the truth that God so lovingly offers us, our cluttered mind begins to focus. We can explore new ideas in light of our growing understanding of truth. We can reject messages that don’t line up with the truth we know.

With new mental clarity, we gain new spiritual focus. We know where to put our energies.

With new mental clarity, we gain emotional balance. We find joy in beautiful things. We can acknowledge the evil and the sadness around us, without absorbing it into our souls.

With new mental clarity we start to hear the will of God, and have confidence and faith that He will empower our actions.

Searching for Clarity

So how do we gain this mental clarity? We begin by agreeing with God. He is truth and life and light. The deeper our understanding of who He is and what He is about, the clearer our thinking will be.

So this is our assigned task: learning to agree with God. Of course, it would help if we knew what God thought, so we can agree with Him. Fortunately, He has taken the lead. He provides the Scriptures to give a rock to stand on. Then we respond to this extravagant gift, by studying it, meditating on it, praying through it.

Psalm 19 celebrates the power of God’s word to calibrate our thinking:

The instructions of the Lord are perfect, reviving the soul.
The decrees of the Lord are trustworthy, making wise the simple.
The commandments of the Lord are right, bringing joy to the heart.
The commands of the Lord are clear, giving insight for living.
Psalm 19:7-14 (NLT)

The entire Psalm 19 celebrates the power of God’s word in our lives. It’s a great place to begin our meditations.

Once we can stand firm on the core truth of scripture, we can look around and enjoy the Kingdom of God all around us. What do we soak up into our souls as we look at our homes and cities and landscape? Paul has a few ideas on how to direct our thoughts:

Finally, brothers and sisters, 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 (NIV)

Worship, Praise, Prayer

But don’t think for a moment that just learning the facts will completely align us with God. Our love, our priorities, our actions will need to line up.

So the next step in changing how we think is to put our entire energy into agreeing with God. Not only do we need to know mentally what God says, be we need to start to agree with Him, to trust Him, to Love everything He does and everything He desires.

We actively participate in this redirection of our heart. God takes the lead, be we must participate in the change. Once we hear the truth, we need to actively respond. So we praise God for what we know is true about Him. We worship God, placing Him above all of the other influences in our life. We pray for His help and blessing, and return to thank Him as He answers us.

The conclusion to Paul’s letter to the Philippians is all about where we put our mental energy.

Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the Peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
Philippians 4:4-7 (NIV)

The Promise

So this is the promise. This is the direction we need to be heading. We accept God’s gift of His Word, which is light and life and bread to us. We accept the Gift by chewing on it, meditating on it, dwelling in it. Over time, and with God’s powerful help, the truth in our souls will overcome the messages of evil all around us. Over time, with energy from God and effort from us, we will become the powerful, creative, impactful people God created us to be.