Finally, brothers and sisters, 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. Philippians 4:8 (NIV)
If you want your future to be different from your present, then The 4:8 Principle was written with you in mind. If you want your future to be just a little better than your life now, you will need to change your thinking just a little. If you desire a future that is a lot better than your present, you will need to change a lot about the way you think. Maybe you want a little change in your finances and a big change in your marriage. Maybe you want to get into a little better shape physically, but you want to grow a lot closer to God. Whatever improvement you are looking for must start with your thoughts. Based on Philippians 4:8, the 4:8 Principle states that whatever you give your attention to expands in your experience.
You’d never invite a thief into your house. So why would you allow thoughts that steal your joy to make themselves at home in your mind?
Consider what happens in a theater or stadium when a spotlight is turned on. Your awareness shifts to the object underneath the light. As you give attention to the highlighted performance, you cease paying attention to what is left in the dark. The last time we took our kids to the circus, I witnessed this scenario firsthand. As the spotlight was aimed at one or two of the three rings, the “unused ring” was left in complete darkness. I had to strain a bit, but as I looked closely at the unlit ring, I could see the stage crew, dressed in black, making preparation for the next stunt. Like the circus production, you will always have some degree of darkness in your life, but you can choose where you focus your spotlight. Remember, whatever is not under the light has far less significance.
Dwelling on something means ...
- Thinking deeply
- Reviewing
- Replaying
- Meditating
- Mulling it over
- Talking about it
This is the essence of the 4:8 Principle: If you dwell on your strengths, your blessings, your goals, and all the people who love you, then you will attract even more blessings, even more love, and even more accomplishments. Everything you need to be joy-filled, you already have!
