What’s on Your Playlist?

Romans 12:2 “Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.”

If you must run to music, then your Ipod or MP3 player is essential.  Specific songs are selected with the intent of motivating—pumping you up when you need it most. Just when you feel that all too familiar slump coming over you, one of your favorite tunes blasts away. Suddenly your mood is lifted and you feel new energy rising through every weary muscle of your body. The driving beat ignites your determination to keep going. Before you know it, you’re running to the rhythm of the music and you have no intention of slowing down. Song after song keeps you going until you’ve reached your goal.

These songs on your playlist are carefully chosen. Not just any song will do! Can you imagine choosing songs with negative lyrics? Words that would tear you down? Insult you? Words of discouragement?  Would you choose lullabies? Blues or slow-dance songs? Of course not! You’ll choose songs with a driving beat. Songs with powerful words. Songs designed especially with running in mind. What we listen to plays a huge part in how we run our race.

And so it is in our race of faith. What we choose to fix our mind on determines our thoughts. Our thoughts determine our attitudes. Our attitudes shape our behavior. And ultimately our behavior molds our character.

There are multiple voices clamoring for our attention daily: television, Internet, radio, and especially other people. We also hear whispers from within our own ugly flesh and from the enemy. The voices we embrace are like the songs we choose to include on our playlists. When life gets tough and our weary soul can’t go another step, what messages are going to blast into our mind? We have a choice as to which ones we’ll tune into. If we listen to the negative talk of the world, we’ll surely wear down and lose our momentum. But if we purposely choose to listen to God’s gentle—yet powerful—voice, His truth will ignite our determination to persevere in His strength. It’s critical that we tuck away truth into our mind so we don’t fall for the lies of this world. When we feel a slump coming on, whatever is downloaded on our mental playlist determines whether we’ll slow down or keep going.

Consider carefully what you download onto the playlist of your mind. Because ultimately what goes into your mind will affect your soul.  And the condition of your soul determines how you will spend the life God has graciously given you.

READY? Take a moment to reflect on the playlist of your mind. Which voices are the loudest? Are there any voices you need to delete? Ask God to guide you as you evaluate what you’ve been listening to.

GET SET. Philippians 4:8 “Finally, brothers, 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.”

GO! Heavenly Father, help me choose truth in the midst of this world’s negativity. It’s often hard to decipher through multiple voices calling out to me. Help me embrace your word and make it my filter. May your truth guide me all day long and lift me up when things get rough. Praise you that your truth trumps all the lies of the world. Amen

Blessings to you!

Lisa Preuett