Thoughts on Thoughts

Thinking about thoughts this morning.

Thoughts are ideas, concepts, and images in a person's mind.  The ability to think is a gift from God.  We are free to choose how we use this gift.  Our thoughts affect our attitudes.  Our attitudes affect our behavior.  The Lord knows our thoughts.  We will stand accountable for them.

I often have random thoughts.  I often have rude thoughts.  I have judgmental thoughts.  I try to keep these at bay.  I try to push them out.  But if I am not standing at the ready to dislodge them, they settle.  They sprout.  They pop up.  Again and again.  Sometimes before I know it, I have to do some major deep cleaning.  

I have realized how powerful my thoughts are.  Positive thoughts lead to satisfaction, happiness, compassion, desire to better myself.  Negative thoughts lead to judgment, impatience, heaviness of being.  When I let those negative thoughts fester it just brings me down SO fast!  Positive thoughts uplift in every aspect of my life.

This was why I my "word for the year" last year was POSITIVE. :)

While reading my scriptures this morning, I came across these verses.

"Look unto me in every thought; doubt not, fear not."
               -Doctrine and Covenants 6:36

And this one.

"...cast away your idle thoughts..."
              -Doctrine and Covenants 88:69

And this one.

"...let virtue garnish thy thoughts unceasingly; then shall thy confidence wax strong in the presence of God..."
              -Doctrine and Covenants 121:45

I can do better here.  I can look to my Savior in my thoughts.  I can cast out idle, random, pointless thoughts.  I can train my mind to guard my thoughts.

My thoughts have great power.  I can access and develop this power.  I can use this power.

Just a little food for "thought."