Garbage In, Garbage Out – Renewing Your Mind

Pay attention to what you feed your soul, not just your stomach.

Posted on

Most of us are aware of the importance of a nutritious diet as it relates to food, but we often don’t think about the importance and components of a diet that feeds our souls. Recently, I was scrolling through Facebook while watching the Bachelorette. A Facebook friend shared this post which convicted me a little. He also happens to be my former Pastor which made me feel even worse.

Your diet is not only what you eat. It is what you watch, what you listen to, what you read, and the people you hang around. Pay attention to what you feed your soul, not just your stomach.

Neither of the activities that I was doing when I read this post constitutes a nutritious diet that feeds the soul. As a side note, I resisted the Bachelor/Bachelorette for all of these years and my stepdaughter recently got me watching it. Not the best thing to fill your mind with! I do enjoy some of the “jobs” that the contestants have. There was “Canadian”, “Bachelor Superfan”, and there are lots of “Entrepreneurs” which is code for no job. And I have been watching lots of Netflix. I just love it when it shames you by saying, “Are you still watching?”

I’m probably not going to give up social media and Netflix all together but could certainly reduce these activities and do something more value-added. I have given up the news which makes it difficult to know what’s going on in the world, but I think I prefer it that way.

What about you? Think about the things that you are filling your mind with – television, social media, news, music, books, etc. Have you ever heard the term, garbage in garbage out? That’s how it works with our minds too. Rick Warren said: “Put mental garbage into your mind and you will get garbage out of your life.” Further Proverbs 15:14 says, “a wise person is hungry for knowledge, while the fool feeds on trash.

In Romans 12:2, Paul says:

 Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.”

 

The best way to “renew our minds” is through a steady intake of God’s Word. Peter calls Christians to “desire the pure milk of the word, so that you may grow up into your salvation (1 Peter 2:2).”

I’m going to work on filling my mind with healthier things by spending more time reaching out to others and reading His Word.

 

How can you reduce the garbage that you are taking in so that you can feed your soul?

 

This is an updated post originally published on Leslie Speas

Featured Image by Jorge Gryntysz from Pixabay


DOWNLOAD OR ORDER LESLIE’S NEW BOOK

CONFESSIONS OF A HOT MESS

—FROM MESS TO MESSAGE

90 Days of Messages for the HOT MESS in You

SEE MORE | ORDER

The views and opinions expressed by Kingdom Winds Collective Members, authors, and contributors are their own and do not represent the views of Kingdom Winds LLC.

About the Author

Leslie Speas is a Christian blogger and author from North Carolina. She is a self-proclaimed “Hot Mess”. In her book and blog posts, she shares humorous stories, Scripture, and tips to help others bolster their faith and find strength in their struggles.

Comments are closed.