READ: PSALM 119:9-16; ROMANS 12:1-2; PHILIPPIANS 4:8

As we go about our everyday lives, we will inevitably see and hear things that bother us—from things people talk about and jokes they make, to stuff we come across online. Sometimes we know these things are wrong, but they seem unavoidable. It all ends up filling our heads, and even when we don’t want to think about that junk, it can still give us bad thoughts.

When bad thoughts come to our minds, just ignoring them usually isn’t enough. What helps is replacing them with good ones. Think about it this way: If a car’s radiator hose splits open, green liquid splatters all over the surface of the engine and smokes. You can’t leave the bad hose the way it is, and you can’t just take it out either. If you want the car to keep running, you need to replace the broken part. It’s the same with bad thoughts—they have to be replaced.

But where do we get good thoughts to replace the bad thoughts with?

If we know Jesus, we already have them. He’s changing the way we think. Whenever bad thoughts come, we don’t have to let them take control of our minds. Instead, we can set our minds on Jesus (Hebrews 12:1-3). He loves us so much that He died on the cross to free us from sin, and He rose from the dead so we could know Him and live with Him forever.

Because of Jesus, we are empowered by the Holy Spirit to actually reject bad thoughts and grab onto good thoughts instead (2 Corinthians 10:5). When we’re tempted to think hateful thoughts about someone, we can take those thoughts out and instead choose to focus on Jesus’s love for that person. When we’re tempted to lust after someone, we can replace that thought by considering how Jesus sees that person. When we’re tempted to see ourselves as worthless, we can remember the infinite worth God places upon us, which He showed when Jesus gave up His life for us. And, as we notice recurring patterns of specific kinds of bad thoughts, we can start to memorize Bible verses that address the particular lies and sins we’re struggling with. No matter what bad thoughts we encounter, they’re no match for the truth of Jesus’s love. • A. W. Smith

• Do you notice specific bad thoughts that keep coming into your mind? Who is a trusted Christian you could talk to about these, such as a parent, pastor, youth leader, or counselor?

Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Romans 12:2 (NIV)