This excerpt is taken from God’s Girl by Wynter Pitts, a devotional aimed at showing tween girls aged 8 to 12 how God’s love for them changes everything. Today’s devotion explores why our thoughts matter, and gives five tips for how to set them on things above. Share this with your daughter today.
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When I was a little girl, we went to church often. We went on Sunday mornings and came back for a second service on Sunday afternoons. We also went to Bible Study on Wednesday evenings, and there were services on Fridays as well. We did not go to every service, but we definitely went to a lot of them!
Mostly, I enjoyed going to church because my friends were there. There was usually a program for the children to attend while the adults were in their service, and we always did something fun. But every once in a while I would have to go to “big” service with my mom and grandmother. And that was when things got a little complicated. It was always hard to sit through the service and pay attention. It seemed that no matter how hard I tried my mind just would not let me focus. I would start thinking about school, camp, roller coasters…and that really funny story my brother told me at dinner! All types of thoughts would take over my mind, and it felt like I could not control it.
Have you ever felt like that? Maybe not in church, but perhaps all you can think about while sitting in English class is lunch. Or when you are on your way to sleep, your mind begins to think about scary things. Or you can’t stop thinking about how angry you are with that boy who tripped you in the gym. Or maybe you are thinking too much about the next exciting thing you are going to do.
You may not realize it, but your thoughts matter a lot, and controlling your mind can be difficult. Not all thoughts are good for you! For example, mean or scary thoughts will affect your behavior and the choices you make.
God wants your mind to be full of Him and for your thoughts to point to Him and His love. In the Bible He tells us, “Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things” (Colossians 3:2).
God knows if we spend too much time thinking only about the things we can see and how we feel, then we will miss focusing on Him!
God’s Word can change everything. For example, do you have problems paying attention in one of your classes? Proverbs 4:25 says, “Let your eyes look straight ahead; fix your gaze directly before you.” This is just a simple reminder that if you look straight ahead, then you have a better chance of not missing something important!
Want to know how you can set your mind on what is before you? Here are five tips to help you.
- Read your Bible often. This helps to fill your mind with thoughts of Jesus and gives you an example for how to live your life. You can also find special Scriptures and post them around. Some good places to put a verse or two are in your closet, on your notebook, or on your mirror.
- Listen to worship music. Sometimes our thoughts can really get out of control, especially when we are afraid or angry. When this happens, find a few worship songs you love and play them over and over again. Singing songs to and about God is a great way to help control the other things you may be thinking about.
- Be careful what you watch. Watching your favorite TV shows is not a bad thing. However, sometimes the shows we watch can affect how we think about our parents, our friends, and our lives. Be sure to choose shows that make you love God and people around you more. If a show is giving you thoughts that make you talk to your sister, mom, or dad in a way that doesn’t please God, ask yourself, “Should I be watching this?”
- Spend time with people who love God. Just like the shows we watch, the people we spend time with can influence our thoughts. If your friends gossip a lot, treat each other unkindly, or make bad choices, that behavior will definitely rub off on you and your thoughts! Try to spend time with people who are “likeminded” and want to keep their eyes on God too.
- Ask God to help. Pray and ask God to help you to keep your thoughts on Him and His love. God is always waiting to help us and loves when we ask Him for what we need.
Dear God, thank You for giving me a brain that can think! Sometimes it gets hard to keep my mind focused on You because there are so many distractions around me. Will You help me to remember that the more I look to You, the more I will understand and know what You want me to do? In Jesus’s name, amen.
Philippians 4:8 reminds us, “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.”
Can you rewrite that Scripture verse in your own words? What do you think God is saying to you? Don’t be afraid to use a dictionary or ask for help if you are not sure what some of the words mean!
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You’re God’s Girl! by Wynter Pitts, helps your daughter discover God’s truth—who He made her to be, how unique and special she is, and how she fits into the world. It contains daily devotions packed with God’s promises that will model kindness, obedience, and faithfulness to her as she walks hand in hand with Him.
Share this with her today so she may learn to see herself—the real, true her—through God’s eyes!
Learn more about the book and how to purchase here.
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