My husband and I were walking down a street in downtown Los Angeles. The traffic was a steady flow interrupted now and then by vehicles zooming in and out of the lanes. It made me thankful that I wasn’t driving. We were just about to step across an access lane when a car zoomed out and into the traffic. A shiny new BMW slammed on its brakes as the vehicle came within inches of its bumper. My husband shook his head. “Thank God for good brakes,” he said. If the BMW had collided with that vehicle we would very likely have been in the middle of the domino effect that would have resulted.

In His wisdom, God has supplied us with another kind of good braking system. It’s called a mind. The apostle Paul talks about it in 2 Corinthians chapter 10, verse 5b – “… we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.”

The trick is to recognize when our thoughts are going in a direction that is not obedient to Christ. Too often we get caught up in thinking negative and even destructive thoughts. But we can change them. We can stop, as quickly as that shiny BMW, avoid disaster and turn our thoughts to things that honour God. It’s a matter of training. And it’s amazing how well it works.

Paul also told the Philippians “… whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable – if anything is excellent or praiseworthy – think about such things” (Phil. 4:8).

Have you caught yourself being negative lately, or having nasty thoughts about someone? Have you noticed how it affects your whole day? God knew that it would, so he designed our minds with a good braking system – the ability to channel our thoughts toward all that is good. Ultimately that will lead us to Him.

So, how are your brakes working?

Marcia Lee Laycock Marcia@vinemarc.com