How to Load up on the Good and Get Rid of the Bad
In Week One, we discussed – How to Be More Useful for the Kingdom of God
Week Two was called – The Most Important Pause of the Day
Today, we are moving on to talk about how to fill up with the good while getting rid of the bad.
Today, we are moving on to talk about how to fill up with the good while getting rid of the bad. Click To Tweet
Her name is Sharon.
As an avid runner, Sharon has a schedule that she keeps and some habits that she follows. One of these habits is to drink a healthy smoothie after each of her runs.
Dave shares that these healthy smoothies look horrible, filled with all sorts of vitamins, nutrients, fruits, and veggies. When mixed together, they form a greenish-brown color that looks terrible.
Once Sharon completes her smoothie, she does the strangest thing…
Once Sharon completes her smoothie, she does the strangest thing… she puts the empty smoothie cup down in the sink, turns on some fresh water, and leaves the water running into the cup of leftover smoothie gunk.
Recently, Dave stood and watched the water run into the smoothie cup and out into the sink.
At first, it was a real mess.
But, in time, the clean water from the faucet began to lift off the smoothie gunk and move it down into the drain.
Within just a few moments, the smoothie cup was clean and filled with fresh water from the tap.
Dave then made this point,
“Just like this smoothie cup that can be cleaned with fresh water from the tap, we also need to be pouring fresh stuff into our lives.
We need to be reading good books, listening to great messages and podcasts, and thinking about good things because there is so much gunk out there that fills our lives.
To flush out the bad stuff, we just fill our lives, our hearts, and our minds with good stuff.”
To flush out the bad stuff, we just fill our lives, our hearts, and our minds with good stuff. Dave Ramsey Click To Tweet
How do we do this?
What does it look like to flush out the bad and soak up the good?
I’d like to suggest some very powerful ways that you and I can fill our lives with more of the good and rid our lives of more of the bad.
In Psalm 19:7, we read, “The law of the LORD is perfect, refreshing the soul.”
Here are 7 ways to allow God’s Word to flush out the bad and fill you up with what is good:
Whether you read one verse, one passage, or one chapter, there is something so sweet about opening the Bible as you start your day. Dig in long enough to find a nugget or a truth you can take with you all day.
Start by reading a Psalm or a Proverb a day.
Read one small section of scripture at a time. Start with a short book like Philippians, and tackle just a few verses a day.
Or, turn to the concordance in the back of your Bible and do word studies. Choose a word and find all of the instances of this word as used in the Bible. You can look at one instance each morning. For example, you might choose the word “hope.”
When you write things down while reading the Bible, you will learn and remember more.
And, writing helps you to keep your mind focused on what you are reading and studying.
One famous Chinese proverb reminds us, “The faintest ink is more powerful than the strongest memory.”
Get some notecards and jot down your verse or type it into an app on your phone.
We all need reminders we can look to throughout the day.
Send yourself a text with your verse. We all like to get messages.
Why not send one to yourself!
Or, share it with someone at work, school, or at lunch.
Share the good stuff with a friend or family member. And, sharing will not only encourage a friend, but it will also help you to learn the verse.
Take a moment and look back at your journal, Bible, or phone.
Be refreshed by what you read.
Let your last thoughts of the day be on the scriptures.
Focus your complete attention on your verse one more time.
Then, go to sleep allowing the Bible to restore, renew, and refresh your heart.
This past week, my verse was Matthew 11:28. Over and over, I rolled this verse around in my mind, read it, repeated it, and focused on its message.
Filling my mind with the words of Matthew pushed out a lot of gunk in my world. This one verse encouraged me and kept me going throughout this past week.
I truly believe that this practice will do the same for you.
So, put your cup down in the sink and turn on the faucet.
It’s time to start flushing and re-filling!
It’s time to start flushing and re-filling! Click To Tweet
How do you flush out the bad and bring in the good?
What suggestions do you have?
3 Lies We Are Tempted to Believe by Gretchen Fleming
Protecting Yourself from Self-Defeating Thoughts by Lori Shumaker
What Does it Mean to be Kept by God? by Amy Elaine
How to Overcome Anxiety and Depression by Susan Mcilmoil
When You Need to Take a Leap of Faith by Pam Blosser
When Our Ideal Isn’t Real by Christy Mobley
Set Your Table, Set Your Mind by Sue Donaldson
20 Things to Do When Life is Wearing You Out by Zee Dean
Would you share this article with a friend, co-worker, or family member?
Maybe you can send it to a friend or family member?
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