Storing Treasure of a Different Kind, Part 2

My previous post spoke to the need to lay up treasure in heaven instead of accumulating what the world has to offer.  As I've meditated on that idea, I reallize that for me this needs to also include my thoughts.  What am I storing in my bank of messages that robs me of the real treasure of God's voice?

It's sobering to realize how many negative thoughts and memories I've kept in a mental file to play over and over much like a playlist on my MP3 player.  Such things serve no good and should be deleted and replaced with positive affirmations from God's word that remind me of who I am in Christ; an identity that has nothing to do with what the world thinks.

I've had a hard time letting go of a particular set of thoughts this week that need to be replaced.  Briefly, my husband applied for a job a few weeks ago that seemed to be perfect for his education and work experience.  We went into the process feeling strongly that applying for this job was what the Lord wanted him to pursue and enlisted the prayers of many friends and family for wisdom and for God's will to be done.

The answer was "no" and despite some initial disappointment, we accepted it knowing that we don't want less than God's perfect plan for our lives.

Then came the realization through facts recently disclosed that the position was evidently already decided upon before he was interviewed and even before candidates ever submitted their applications.  The process of advertising the position and going through the interviews made it "legal" so that no one could accuse the committee of any form of nepotism.  

That's where the choice of what thoughts I'm going to keep in my mental bank comes into play.  I can keep replaying the implications of all this in my mind and let it eat away at my peace, or I can take those thoughts captive and put them through my mental shredder while replacing them with the knowledge that none of it took the Lord by surprise and in the end, the answer is still from Him whether others acted with integrity or not.

I can replace those thoughts with the treasure of God's word telling me that He does cause all things to work together for good to those who love Him and are called according to his purpose (Romans 8:28), and that He who began a good work in us will complete it (Philippians 1:6).  I can believe God when He says in Jeremiah 29:11, "For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." I can rest in knowing that when I trust in the Lord with all my heart, do not lean on my own understanding, and acknowledge Him in all things, that He will direct my paths (Proverbs 3:5-6).

Those are the gems I want in my mental treasure chest as we look ahead with joyful anticipation of what God has planned for us.