Your beliefs guide your life. Whatever you hold to be true will affect your actions, your opinions, and your complete worldview. Accordingly, it is vital that you weigh your beliefs to determine their validity.
What, then, do you accept as Truth? Are you open to anything and everything, or are you more selective than that? Do you believe all you hear or do you have a way to filter the wheat from the chaff?...
What, then, do you accept as Truth? Are you open to anything and everything, or are you more selective than that? Do you believe all you hear or do you have a way to filter the wheat from the chaff?...
In Women Under Construction, I describe your mind as the roof of your life house. Much as the roof on a house is intended to protect against the damage that can be caused by torrential downpours or even mild showers, the mind is responsible to protect the life house against external factors that threaten it. As I put it in my book, "...allowing outside influences to destroy our mind or interfere with our way of thinking will affect everything inside."
Our society is filled with various, often conflicting beliefs and worldviews. In addition, every person you encounter will place different expectations and demands on you. While it is certainly necessary to be tolerant of others, it is also important to guard your mind against both distraction and deception.
What does it mean to guard your mind? Here are three suggestions:
1. Focus on your objectives.
Professionally, a focused mind is a basic requirement for success. Without it, you may become sidetracked by superfluous activities that vie for your attention. Only by focusing on the tasks at hand can you accomplish your goals.
Maintaining a focused mind requires that you learn to say “no” on occasion, potentially even turning down some good opportunities. Otherwise, your time and energy will become occupied by so many good things that you miss out on the best.
2. Strengthen your mind with knowledge and Truth.
“Garbage in, garbage out” is a phrase dating back to the advent of computers. Basically, it meant that the quality of information outputted by the computer was dependent on the quality of information put in. If the original information fed into the computer were lacking, then the output could not be trusted.
Your mind is what you feed it. Help your mind to grow be seeking true wisdom and understanding and by entering the right information. The apostle Paul recognized the wisdom of this when he advised, “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, KJV).
3. Beware of being misled by lies.
Many opinions and viewpoints may sound convincing at first, but upon closer inspection they fall short. The only way to avoid being taken in is by carefully examining them and weighing them against what you already know to be true.
For instance, many cults are birthed and grown on lies and misunderstandings. Paul described those who are easily misled by false doctrines as “children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive” (Ephesians 4:14, KJV).
Paul also encouraged Timothy, his young apprentice, to be vigilant in defending himself against falsehoods and deceptions. “Take heed unto thyself, and unto the doctrine; continue in them: for in doing this thou shalt both save thyself, and them that hear thee” (1 Timothy 4:16, KJV).
How do you guard your mind? Do you take steps to prevent distractions from keeping you from your goals? Are you committed to continually stretching your mind and growing in your knowledge and understanding? What is the plumb line that you use to measure Truth? If your mind is going to effectively protect your life house, you must ensure that it is prepared to face the challenges of life.
Our society is filled with various, often conflicting beliefs and worldviews. In addition, every person you encounter will place different expectations and demands on you. While it is certainly necessary to be tolerant of others, it is also important to guard your mind against both distraction and deception.
What does it mean to guard your mind? Here are three suggestions:
1. Focus on your objectives.
Professionally, a focused mind is a basic requirement for success. Without it, you may become sidetracked by superfluous activities that vie for your attention. Only by focusing on the tasks at hand can you accomplish your goals.
Maintaining a focused mind requires that you learn to say “no” on occasion, potentially even turning down some good opportunities. Otherwise, your time and energy will become occupied by so many good things that you miss out on the best.
2. Strengthen your mind with knowledge and Truth.
“Garbage in, garbage out” is a phrase dating back to the advent of computers. Basically, it meant that the quality of information outputted by the computer was dependent on the quality of information put in. If the original information fed into the computer were lacking, then the output could not be trusted.
Your mind is what you feed it. Help your mind to grow be seeking true wisdom and understanding and by entering the right information. The apostle Paul recognized the wisdom of this when he advised, “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, KJV).
3. Beware of being misled by lies.
Many opinions and viewpoints may sound convincing at first, but upon closer inspection they fall short. The only way to avoid being taken in is by carefully examining them and weighing them against what you already know to be true.
For instance, many cults are birthed and grown on lies and misunderstandings. Paul described those who are easily misled by false doctrines as “children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive” (Ephesians 4:14, KJV).
Paul also encouraged Timothy, his young apprentice, to be vigilant in defending himself against falsehoods and deceptions. “Take heed unto thyself, and unto the doctrine; continue in them: for in doing this thou shalt both save thyself, and them that hear thee” (1 Timothy 4:16, KJV).
How do you guard your mind? Do you take steps to prevent distractions from keeping you from your goals? Are you committed to continually stretching your mind and growing in your knowledge and understanding? What is the plumb line that you use to measure Truth? If your mind is going to effectively protect your life house, you must ensure that it is prepared to face the challenges of life.
