Stinking thinking is “a bad way of thinking, that makes
you believe you will fail, that bad things will happen to you,
or that you are not a very good person.” Actually that pretty much
describes my junior high experience.

We all fall victim to stinkin’ thinkin’, but it is particularly
distressing for a follower of Christ. Christians feel an even
bigger sense of failure. They think, If I can muster up more
faith, prayer, study, or general busyness for Jesus, I can overcome this malady, right?

I have to admit that I am afflicted with some degree of
stinkin’ thinkin’. There is a spiritual war happening
with an enemy who delights in my doubt and shame. The
culture contributes a tsunami of unbiblical images and words.

How can I overcome this daunting challenge?

Paul has the perfect antidote to stinkin’ thinkin’ in his letter
to the church at Philippi. The letter is written to encourage
believers living in a culture that was often hostile to faith,
not unlike the times we live in now. Paul penned this uplifting missive of hope while he was suffering for his faith in a Roman prison. But Paul did not let his circumstances defeat him, and he did not want the Philippians to lose their joy because of opposition.

Always be full of joy in the Lord. I say it again—
rejoice!
Let everyone see that you are considerate in all you do.
Remember, the Lord is coming soon. Don’t worry about
anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what
you need, and thank him for all he has done. Then you
will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we
can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and
minds as you live in Christ Jesus.
Philippians 4 : 4 – 7

Those are wonderful words for sure, but then Paul gets to the kicker in the next verse, pinpointing what can stand up against (or take down?) stinkin’ thinkin’.

Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and
right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about
things that are excellent and worthy of praise.
Philippians 4 : 8

That is holy positive thinking! Write that reminder on a card. Make it the wallpaper on your device. Write it on the palm of your hand. Stick it on a mirror or the refrigerator. Do whatever you need to do, in order to have these words handy when you find your mind drifting toward stinkin’ thinkin’.

I love how The Message unpacks this even more:

Summing it all up, friends, I’d say you’ll do best by
filling your minds and meditating on things true,
noble, reputable, authentic, compelling, gracious—
the best, not the worst; the beautiful, not the ugly;
things to praise, not things to curse.
Philippians 4 : 8 , MSG (emphasis added)

Today, consider how you will pivot from false accusations to truth. How you plan to switch your thoughts from negative to noble, from angry to gracious. How you can consider the best and not the worst.

A DOSE OF GRACE

Identify any negative thoughts, images, or ideas you have. Then replace them with your reflections on the encounters, feelings, relationships, and moments today that are true, honorable, right, pure, lovely, and admirable. Carry Philippians 4:8 with you and read it throughout the day. I think you might be surprised at the power of this word of grace as an antidote to stinkin’ thinkin’.

Excerpts from Waking Up Slowly.


I welcome your comments, thoughts, questions, concerns, and praises. Let’s talk!