Sifting Through Life

"Test everything. Hold on to the good. Avoid every kind of evil." 1 Thessalonians 5:21-22

Two verses. Three words of instruction. These three represent a form of sifting I should do in my life on a day to day, moment to moment basis as a believer. Whether sifting through my own thoughts, situation, things spoken to me, about me, or life in general, I must sort through to determine what is of the Lord, and what is not. Just as I have learned to take my thoughts captive, this instruction is like a sieve. A gadget I can put things through to sort the good from the bad; the godly from the ungodly.

First, God's Word instructs me to "test everything". Test it for truth and accuracy against what God's Word says about such a thought, comment, circumstance, situation, Himself, or me. Once tested, I should "hold on to what is good". That is, I should hold on to, as Philippians 4:8 instructs, whatever is true, noble, right, pure, lovely, admirable, excellent or praiseworthy. Whatever falls through the sieve that is false, ungodly or even hinting at evil of any kind, should be discarded. I should let those things go and avoid or abstain from them. In using God's Word as a sieve in this way, I can more accurately navigate my thought life, my responses and spiritual warfare, and live a life pleasing to Him.

Thank You Lord for Your Word which guides and instructs my life. Help me Lord to sift out things that are not pleasing to You and only hold on to the good. Use the good I pray, to make me more like You. In Jesus' Name, Amen.