Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, dwell on these things (NASB 1995) Philippians 4:8
Swing thoughts or shot thoughts? What are you thinking about when you are over the golf ball and ready to hit a shot? Dr. David Cook would tell you to only have shot thoughts and to train your mind to trust your athletic ability to respond to how you have trained during your practice time on swing thoughts.
Mel Godinez, a youth pastor from Hope Church in Las Vegas was one of my playing partners for the Las Vegas Charity Classic in early October. Mel played baseball and was a good athlete who displayed the ability to hit the ball a long way. Most of the time, it was a power slice with several severe slices that ended out of play. After about eight holes, while waiting for the green to clear, he asked me about how he should grip the club. He was wondering why his last instructor had him using a baseball grip and if he should make a change. Since he invited me to help him, I showed him some grip options, and explained how power is generated from the ground up.
As he nodded and took some practice swings, said him, “ But don’t think about anything I just told you when you’re are playing, just think swing thoughts.”
What we put in our minds most often will come out in our thoughts and actions. In the opening verse, Paul is telling us to focua on the things that our true, noble, trustworthy, right, pure, lovely, admirable, excellent and praiseworthy. In the next verse, he goes on to tell the people of Philippi, “The things you have learned and received and heard and seen in me, practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you.”
As we grow in Christ and are prepared to share the gospel, the thoughts we have and the actions we demonstrate should reflect the fruit of the Spirit. Examine what you are putting into your mind through television, social media, books, conversations, movies and magazines. We should be replacing harmful input with wholesome material including daily reading of God’s word. The reward is peace and joy.
Mel is influencing the youth in his church with the positive message of Christ. Now can he tell them a story of how he started thinking about shot thoughts and won closest to the pin on one of the par three holes in the tournament.
Prayer: Lord we are surrounded by negative, harmful input in our lives every day. Help us to discern the good from the bad and guide our thoughts and actions to demonstrate the living Christ.