Think about good things for personal victory in any situation - Philippians 4:8
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
More About This Verse
MEANING
It’s easy to dwell on the negative when life is hard, disappointing, or painful. That’s why it’s so important to follow this verse of instruction; it’s here to help us through the tough times and appreciate the great moments.
When Satan wants to get to you, he’ll often start with lies and condemnation whispered into your mind until you (maybe not even realizing Satan was doing so) start to believe them and then react with despair, sadness, anger, or any other thing that seeks to separate you from the love of God.
But with this verse, Paul gave a way to combat Satan’s efforts. We are to feed our minds with blessings from God and the good things we can find in our lives or situations. We are to think about what is true rather than the lies Satan would have us believe. We are to dwell on what is noble and right so our actions will follow our thoughts. We are to feed our minds with whatever is pure, lovely, admirable, excellent, or praiseworthy—all the things that help us stay focused on God’s love for us and Christ’s sacrifice for us.
This radical way of filling our minds with truth and all good things is a challenge, especially during the most trying times. But as we actively practice this, even in the most difficult moments, we can fight painful situations, trials, and all the difficult things we face. It’s a way to reclaim and live out our lives with love, hope, faith, and gratefulness in the full blessings and love of God.
EXPLORE THIS PASSAGE MORE
We get the most out of each verse when we understand them in context. So, feel free to dig a little deeper into the meaning of this verse with these resources:
The Message version says this verse this way:
“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).
Philippians 4:8 is the preceding verse to Philippians 4:9, which completes a promise from God!
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