When I was a teenager, I was very passionate about music. But, looking back, I realize I listened to some pretty horrible bands. I would play the same dark and depressing songs over and over again. I knew every word (well, as far as I could make out the mumbling!), every chord change, every note of the guitar solo, and I felt the music in every fiber of my being.
And know what? I was incredibly depressed.
The fact is, I was feeding my mind with garbage, and I felt like garbage. I was feeding it with sadness, confusion, and lack of purpose, and that is exactly how I felt.
Then one day my musical hero killed himself. I was shocked. I couldn’t believe it. My hero. Dead. Blew his head off. And it hit me—is that what this is? Is that what I’m listening to? Is this why I’m feeling depressed? Does this music, this message, produce…death?
Have you ever noticed that connection?
Have you ever noticed the connection between what you hear and how you feel?
Jesus had something to say about the effects of words on your life.
“If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you…” (John 15:7)
They key to having an abundant life (John 10:10) is to abide in Christ. Being born-again takes believing (John 3:16, 36). But living that born-again life to the full takes abiding. And to abide, Jesus’ words must abide in you.
What does that mean?
It means that you must feed your mind on Christ’s words. You are listening to His words, understanding His words, believing His words, and then acting upon His words.
And what is the fruit of having Christ’s words abide in you?
“These things I have spoken to you so that My joy may be in you, and that your joy may be made full” (John 15:11).
Jesus’ words—“These things I have spoken”—produce joy! And not just joy, but the fullness of joy!
Has that been true for you? Do you have that joy?
If not, what have you been feeding your mind on? Hollywood? Talk shows? Women’s magazines? Garbage? Aren’t you tired of it? Can you see what it leads to?
Christ’s desire for you is to have joy. Abide in His words, and you’ll have it. Will you take Him up on that offer?
