As Pure As Gold: Keeping Your Thoughts Pure

Q: "How do I keep my thoughts pure?"

Do you ever find yourself thinking about things that maybe you shouldn't? Are you struggling with inappropriate habits? Do you get mad at yourself for having impure thoughts, or looking/doing things you know you shouldn't and that you know God wouldn't approve of? Well, I can help. Most importantly, God can help!


     You might be wondering why or how, those thoughts actually came to be in your mind. These are the most common places or resources that are the fuel of our impure thoughts:

1) MUSIC~ I talk a lot about music in my posts. Why? Because it has so much impact on us! Everybody listens to it. Its on computers, iPods, television shows, radios, movies, elevators...Music is everywhere and it greatly influences us. A song can be stuck in your head for days. This can be how we get our impure thoughts. If you're listening to music with cuss words and sexual content in them, your thoughts will probably revolve around those topics. And that's not good for you, or pleasing to God.

2) INTERNET~ Spam. Junk. Advertisements. Pop-ups. Its plastered all over almost every web site there is! Some are not so bad, like an ad for a pet adoption clinic, but there is also very bad pictures, catchy sayings, and tempting links. Porn. Its a real thing, a horrid thing, that has grasped the world and torn many people to shreds. Don't visit that page continuously. Don't click the advertisement! Block pop-ups. Its so simple, yet so hard for lots of people. I pray that you girls do not fall into the devil's traps on the internet. It can destroy your relationships, poison your soul, and completely pollute your thoughts. Its a dangerous thing.

 3) FRIENDS~ This is the big one. Our friends, our colleagues, our families. They play the biggest role in our impure minds. Doesn't seem right, does it? But when you and your bestie start gossiping or drooling over guys, jealous and lustful thoughts enter your heads. This is so easy to do, but very displeasing to God.

Romans 12:2 (ESV) says, "Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that be testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect."

 I've told you how the dirty things get into your head, so now I'll tell you how to stop them. I'll warn you now, it won't be a piece of cake. Don't be tempted to click on the link on the side of your favorite Youtube video. Don't lust after the guys in Seventeen magazine or search inappropriate topics on Google. Do not gossip! Read your Bible. Listen to clean music. Choose your friends wisely. And most importantly, pray for HELP!

I just threw a jam-packed handful of commands at you. Don't freak out, even though its hard, you can do it! And if you try your very hardest, and you still feel like nothing has changed, do the last step 3 times as much as the others. Keeping your thoughts pure is a tough obstacle in being a godly woman. But also remember that you are a human and you do occasionally make mistakes. Keep trying! Practice will make you better, so do these things often. We will never be perfect, but we do need to strive to be like Jesus. So while you are giving your 100% best at having good thoughts, always know that God will forgive you when you mess up. Talk to Him constantly, opening your heart and mind to Him, giving Him control, and you will be comforted and encouraged. You don't have to do this on your own. God is here to help you conquer your impure thoughts!!