Starve It part 2
The best way to get rid of things in your life that you don't want in your life... is to starve them. And the best way to starve those things is to feed the other things. Because what you feed is what will grow. Let me say it like this, "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). That's it, man. Think on these things. The best way to distract yourself from the "bad" stuff... is thinking about the good stuff. Setting your affection on things above, not on things on the earth. Its the attitude of gratitude. Its almost like, "Don't tell your God how big the storm is... tell the storm how big your God is!" But, even better, like Jesus did, just sleep (rest) in the boat because you're not concerned with the storm at all. And I'm not saying you stick your head in the sand and ignore the realities of a situation. I'm saying, when you know that Jesus (LOVE) is holding you up... nothing can drag you down. When you're so focused on the things that are true, and honest, and just, and pure... the things that are lovely, of good report... virtuous things, praiseworthy things... those are the things to be grateful for. Those are the things to fill your mind with. Those are the things to feed, and to feed ON. Because you are what you eat. When God is described as love in 1 John 4:8... hold on, let me back up and get 1 John 4:7-8, "Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God. He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love." That word love is number 25 in Strong's Greek Concordance and it means, "love, that is affection or benevolence; specifically a love feast." God's love is a feast. And a feast is meant to be shared. We feast on God's love. And we feast on it by giving it away. Because love IS giving. If you're like me (or my son Logan) and you've eaten a large pizza more or less by yourself... you know that stuffing yourself makes you feel good for like a minute... but then gross. On the flip side, when you share a large pizza with someone... you share more than just food. You share an experience. You share a laugh, maybe. Or even a more somber conversation, sometimes. Point being: you share it. That's how you experience the gift of God that you've been given. You share it. You give it away. And I'm telling you, when your focus is on love--which, again, is giving--when you're focus is on other people... you really don't have time to worry about yourself. When you're busy feeding all of the good stuff in your life... the bad stuff (and I use the terms "good" and "bad" kind of loosely) in your life will starve. You don't have to fight it. You can just let it natraully wither up and die. What you feed is what will grow. So stop feeding things and they will starve. Think on the good, and don't worry about the bad. Do your best, and forget the rest. Let love fill your mind and you won't have room for anything else!