GOD IS THOUGHTFUL
“For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end.” Jeremiah 29:11
What is on the mind of God? Perhaps a better question might be, “Who is on the mind of God?” What occupies His thoughts? The Bible helps us understand the contemplative nature of God. God is thoughtful. In our text, Jeremiah is communicating with a nation that would spend years in Babylonian captivity because of their disobedience and idolatry. Even as they were being chastised, they were on God’s mind. His thoughts of them were “not of evil” but “thoughts of peace.” What a powerful illustration of the thoughtfulness of God! God wanted to see them restored to Him and to their promised land.
There are times when our thoughts are not as mindful of God as they should be, and yet we can be confident that we are in His thoughts. David said in Psalm 139:17, 18 “How precious also are thy thoughts unto me, O God! how great is the sum of them! If I should count them, they are more in number than the sand.” God’s thoughts of us are good thoughts and more than we could possibly number. What a great encouragement to know that we are on God’s mind today! When many people imagine what God might be thinking of them, they do not believe that God’s thoughts are positive. He cares about us, and His thoughts are for our best interest and blessing.
What about our thoughts or our thinking patterns? Controlling our thoughts or directing our thinking is one of the most important disciplines of the Christian life. Our thoughts will influence our attitudes and emotions, and our attitudes will affect our actions. Many people are defeated because they do not think they can win. We must learn to control our thoughts and make certain that we are thinking properly and Biblically. The Psalmist said, “We have thought of thy loving kindness, O God, in the midst of thy temple” (Psalm 48:9). It is good for us to dwell upon the goodness of God in our lives. Satan wants us to focus on the negative and how things have not gone our way. Negative, critical, and evil thoughts have a devastating effect on our spiritual progress. God is committed to thinking positively about our potential and His plans for us. Likewise, we must learn to think in harmony with His Word.