Therefore we ought to give the more earnest heed to the things which we have heard, lest at any time we should let them slip.
— Hebrews 2:1
O LORD God of Abraham, Isaac, and of Israel, our fathers, keep this for ever in the imagination of the thoughts of the heart of thy people, and prepare their heart unto thee:
— 1 Chronicles 29:18
SAMECH. I hate vain thoughts: but thy law do I love.
— Psalm 119:113
And again, The Lord knoweth the thoughts of the wise, that they are vain.
— 1 Corinthians 3:20
Remedies for Vain Thoughts, by Thomas Goodwin. The following contains an excerpt from his work, “The Vanity of Thoughts, Being an Instance of Abounding Sinfulness in One Faculty of the Soul.” The following was updated to modern English.
How long shall thy vain thoughts lodge within thee?
— Jeremiah 4:14 d
The first step is to ensure that the heart is filled and enriched with a good supply of sanctified and heavenly knowledge in spiritual truths. As Christ said,”A good man brings forth good things out of the good treasure of his heart” (Matthew 12:35). This means that a person who possesses various graces and precious truths, like gold in its raw form, can use their thoughts as a mint to coin and shape those truths into words. Therefore, if there are no mines of precious truths hidden within the heart, it is no wonder that our thoughts produce nothing but worthless, empty, and vain musings. This is because the mind lacks the proper material to feed upon. Solomon also says,”Wicked men forge wickedness” (Proverbs 6:14), as Junius translates it. If people have an abundance of worldly knowledge but lack spiritual knowledge that is beneficial to themselves, then even though they may express good things in their conversations with others, their thoughts do not dwell upon them when they are alone. A passage from Deuteronomy 6:6-7 reveals that storing up God’s word in the heart and being deeply acquainted with it, gaining knowledge from it, is an effective means of engaging our thoughts when we are alone. The purpose of storing up the words of the law in our hearts (verse 5- 6) is not only to teach others but also to occupy our thoughts during times of solitude, when a person can do nothing but engage their mind in thinking. When riding, walking, lying down, and rising up (which are often our most private moments for contemplation, and many people ride or lie alone, etc.), we are instructed to talk about the word. This command, however, cannot be fulfilled through verbal conversation alone, although it includes conversing with others when the opportunity arises, such as discussing it with one’s bedfellow or companion. But even if there is no one else present, one can still talk about it to oneself, for thoughts are the internal dialogue of the mind. This is further supported by comparing Proverbs 6:22 with the aforementioned passage, which provides a fitting interpretation. Solomon, while exhorting the duty of binding the word to the heart, presents the resulting benefit that “when you awake, it will talk with you.” This means that through contemplation, the word will engage in conversation with you when you are alone, serving as a companion and offering insights and suggestions.
Secondly, make an effort to maintain and cultivate lively, holy, and spiritual affections in your heart, and do not let them grow cold. Do not fall away from your initial love, fear, or joy in God. If you have become negligent, strive to revive those affections once again. Your thoughts will naturally align with the nature of your affections. They incline the mind to dwell on objects that please them rather than others. That is why David declares,”Oh how I love your law! It is my meditation all the day” (Psalm 119:97). It was his love for the law that made him think of it so frequently. Similarly, in Malachi 3:16, those who feared the Lord and thought about His name are mentioned together. What we fear, we often think about and speak of. Therefore, it is added,”They spoke with one another.” Fear caused them to think deeply about God’s name, and thinking about it led them to speak about it. Thoughts and affections are mutually influential. As David wrote,”While I was musing, the fire burned” (Psalm 39). Thoughts are like bellows that ignite and intensify affections, and when affections are inflamed, they cause thoughts to bubble up. Therefore, those who have newly turned to God, with their fresh and fervent affections, can think of God with greater delight than anyone else.
Thirdly, above all other considerations, fill your heart with deep, strong, and profound apprehensions and impressions of God’s holiness, majesty, omnipresence, and omniscience. If any thoughts have the power to settle, anchor, and captivate the human mind, it is thoughts of Him. Why is it that the saints and angels in heaven never have a vain or errant thought for eternity? It is because God’s presence fixes them, and their eyes are always upon Him. Take a frivolous and careless spirit, and place them in the presence of a superior whom they fear and respect, and it will steady them. Job, therefore, was conscientious about his thoughts, refusing to look in a crooked way, because, as he said, God sees it (Job 31:1-2). This also drew and anchored David’s thoughts. In Psalm 139:1-12, he vividly expresses his continual awareness of God’s greatness, majesty, and omnipresence. And what was the effect? “When I awake, I am still with you” (verse 17). The objects that make the strongest and deepest impressions on the mind are the ones a person thinks of first upon awakening. David’s thoughts of God were so deeply ingrained that whenever he woke up, he was already with Him. Therefore, through our experience, we find that expanding our thoughts during prayer preparations, particularly at the beginning, with contemplation of God’s attributes and His relationship to us, serves as a means to avoid distractions and brings about a serious attitude.
Fourthly, make a special effort to do this when you wake up, just as David did: “When I awake, I am still with you.” To prevent the rise of empty and frivolous thoughts that naturally emerge, people often take a good morning draft that nourishes the stomach. Likewise, to prevent those vain and empty thoughts that arise from emptiness, fill your heart first with thoughts of God; delve into His wine-cellar. Whenever you open your eyes, you will notice many suitors waiting to engage with your thoughts, like clients at lawyers’ doors, presenting various vanities and concerns. But speak with God first; He will say something to your heart that will settle it for the entire day. Do this before the crowd of worldly affairs overwhelms you. It is said of certain pagans that they worship the first thing they see in the morning as their god for the entire day. The same is true for the idols of people’s hearts.
Fifthly, keep a vigilant eye on your heart and observe it throughout the day. Even though thoughts may crowd in, take notice of them and let them know they are not passing by unnoticed. If a person wants to pray rightly, they must also keep watch over who enters and exits. Where strict watch and vigilant magistrates are present, where the marshal and constable diligently examine wandering individuals, there will be few of them. The reason why swarms of wandering thoughts gather and pass by is due to a lack of strict watchfulness.
This is essentially all you can do, for thoughts will pass through regardless. However, still complain about them, whip them, and grant them their passage.
Sixthly, do not indulge your fancy too much with vanities and curious sights, as this generates idle thoughts. That is why Job said in Job 31:1 that he made a covenant with his eyes, so as not to think of a maiden. Proverbs 4:25 advises,”Let your eyes look directly forward.”
Seventhly, be diligent in your work and “whatever your hand finds to do, do it with all your might,” as stated in Ecclesiastes 9:10. This means giving it your full attention and putting all the strength of your mind into it. Let all the flow of thoughts be directed towards your task, preventing them from overflowing into vanity and foolishness. In 2 Thessalonians 3:11, those who do not work are referred to as busybodies, and in 1 Timothy 5:13, they are called idle and wandering (περίεργοι). They are not only idle (ἀργοι)̀ because they are not busy with what they should be, but also wandering, as they are preoccupied with things they shouldn’t be concerned about, going from one place to another. Their bodies may be physically present, but their minds wander, lacking focus. When David walked alone, his spirit ran into extravagance. If the ground lies fallow, weeds will soon grow in it. God has appointed our callings to engage our thoughts, to provide them with work, and to keep them occupied during the intervals between acts of worship, knowing that the spirit and thoughts of people are restless and will seek occupation. Just as kings keep those with active spirits constantly employed to prevent them from thinking and plotting amiss, God also assigned man an occupation even in paradise to keep his active spirit busy. God thereby sets boundaries for man’s thoughts, directing them to travel in a narrow lane, knowing that if they were unrestricted and left at liberty, they would “snuff up the wind” like wild donkeys, as Jeremiah said in Jeremiah 2:24. However, be cautious not to burden your mind with excessive business beyond what you can handle. This caused Martha to forget the “one thing necessary” while being preoccupied with many things, as mentioned in Luke 10:40. It leads to cares (μέριμναι) that distract the mind, dividing it, and consequently causing wandering thoughts. This weakens and enervates the mind, and since it is vanity, according to Exodus 18:18, as Jethro said to Moses when burdened with business,”You will surely wear out, both yourself and these people who are with you.” Like a leaf whose moisture has dried up, the essence that should be left for good duties will be depleted. Just as dreams arise from the multitude of business, as mentioned in Ecclesiastes 5:3, a multitude of thoughts arise from an excess of business.
Eighthly, in your work and in all your ways, entrust them to God for success. Proverbs 16:3 says,”Commit your work to the Lord, and your plans will be established.” This means keeping away from confusion, disorder, and the swarm of worries that afflict others, allowing your aims to be accomplished effectively. A few thoughts of faith would save us from many thoughts of worries and fears in the tasks we undertake, which often prove to be in vain as they do not advance the intended purpose. When the waves of the heart toss and turmoil it, and the winds of passion are stirred, a few thoughts of faith can bring immediate calm.
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