Think about these things…

Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble,

whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely,

whatever is admirable – if anything is excellent or praiseworthy –

think about these things.

Philippians 4:8

Precious friends,

The honest truth is that ministry brings opportunity to see the ugly side of things. As Assistants, we can frequently find ourselves on the receiving end of a testy phone call or in the middle of a situation that has gone sideways. It happens.

The great thing about ministry is that we also have the opportunity to bring Jesus into those circumstances! As carriers of the Holy Spirit, He is right there giving us wisdom about what to do and how to say something to bring His peace.

The trick, I’ve found, is to let it be done when it is done! I need to avoid the temptation to continue the conversation in my mind. Let’s face it, those conversations usually lean toward dwelling on the less-than-praiseworthy. So Philippians 4:8 reminds me where I should dwell – what I should look for – how to be intentional with my thoughts.