Recognizing Healthy Thinking

If you have ever traveled internationally, you know the importance of clean water. With just one sip of unclean water, you can ingest a bacteria that will cause major problems. Everywhere you go, you must pay attention and make sure you are only using water that has been properly filtered. The best route is drinking only purified bottled water or water you have assurance has been through a proper filtration system. You should refuse any water that has not been verified as clean and without impurities.

Similar to the need to ensure water is pure before we drink it, it is critical to ensure we are making a good decision before we take action. The same care we give to our physical bodies, we need to give to our spiritual life. The good news is, God wants us to make good decisions and He talks a lot about how to do that in the Bible.

Last week we looked at some keys to knowing when we are headed in the wrong direction with our thinking. It is equally important to know when we are on the right path. Healthy thinking means we not only avoid poor decisions but we also can recognize and walk forward in wise decisions. When we are walking in God’s wisdom, it is like drinking water we know is clean. We can be sure we are on the right track.

In James 3, James gives us an outline of what God’s wisdom looks like. “The wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, reasonable, full of mercy and good fruits, unwavering, without hypocrisy. And the seed whose fruit is righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace.” (James 3:17-18 NASB)

To ensure you are following God’s wisdom, you have to look closely at your heart. When you are making a decision or examining your motives, we can use these insights from James as a filter:

Is my heart pure? Do I have a respect for God? Does my life reflect Him? Are my thinking and actions clean and without fault?

Am I walking in peace? Does the path I am on bring peace and life to others? Am I living without fighting or strife? Am I pointing other people to God’s redemption?

Is my behavior gentle? Do I point to God instead of drawing attention to myself? Am I kind and patient with other people? Do I have patience for God when I am waiting on Him to work?

Is my thinking reasonable? Do I listen instead of stubbornly holding to my own way? Does my thinking have order and reason? Can I explain how my decisions connect to God’s word and God’s plan?

Am I relating to others in mercy? Am I kind to others and quick to help them? Do I give second chances? Do I reflect God’s love and forgiveness in my everyday interactions?

Does my life bring about good things? Do I produce good things for God’s kingdom? Does my time and energy go to things that matter? Are people positively impacted by the things I do?

Am I unwavering? Am I strong in my thinking or do I wrestle back and forth? Do I have a clear and confident approach to decision making? Do I feel content with my current place and my future direction in life?

Do my words match my actions? Am I honest? Is the person I claim to be who I actually am? If people followed me around would I be comfortable or would I be ashamed of what they would see?

When we can answer yes to all the questions, we can walk in confidence, knowing we are living out God’s wisdom. When our thinking and behavior is based on God’s wisdom our lives bear good fruit or as James says, “the seed whose fruit is righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace.” (James 3:18)