Philippians 4:8 says, “And now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing. Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worth of praise.†Fix you mind on the Word of God. Your thoughts can make or break your life. What you focus on will determine your actions. Will you focus on what the world is saying or on what God is saying?

1 Kings 19 tells a story of the battle of the mind. The mind is and will remain the battlefield of life. In this story, Elijah, a mighty prophet of God, has just won a major victory for God. However, in response to his victory, Jezebel, the Queen, threatens to kill him. Elijah gives in to fear and runs for his life. Yet, despite how far he ran, God was there to meet him. The conversation between Elijah and God depicts how our attitude and mindset can affect our world. God asks Elijah two times, “Why are you here?†Elijah gives the same answer both times. The first time, he is steeped in fear and is whining; the second time, he states the facts that birthed his fears. In between these two moments, Elijah has an encounter with God, and he is transformed.

Life is hard. We all know this. But our mindset can either make it worse or make it better. We all hit a mental funk where we don’t want to talk to God (or to anyone, really). These funks are the perfect and most important time to talk to God. It is God’s Word and His presence that get us out of our funk. It gets us out of the “woe is me†mindset and sets our sights on God and His promises. When we focus on God’s Promises (setting our minds on what is good), we move forward into all He has for us.

So, what are you listening to: the world or God?