Psalms 51:10 – “Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit in me.” What is weighing you down? Is it finances, family problems, your job, illness, addictions, or emotional issues?

All of these issues have the potential to taint our spirit and bind us down with heavy chains. They are blotches of darkness and dirt on our white robes. The psalmist understood that in order to break free from the bondage of this world, we need to look within ourselves. Often that means asking some tough and revealing questions. Is my heart clean? Is my spirit right?

And if not, what is it that I am harboring within? The source of most of our problems is fear manifested or masquerading as anger, worry, uncertainty, hopelessness, and unbelief. If we truly trusted God at his Word, we would turn all of our issues over to Him and leave them there. We would rest in the assurance that if God is for us, he is more than the whole world against us. Before today’s meditation, Controlling Negative Thoughts, take a few moments to examine your heart. Ask God to clean and purify your heart of any attitudes that may be creating the wrong spirit. For the spirit of God is joy, peace, love, patience, and faith. Use these as your measuring stick.