Mind Peace

I have discovered that a key factor in having and keeping peace- inside of my head- is influenced by what comes into my mind. Thoughts are like birds or flying insects- they are constant and one cannot fully control them. But the majority of what comes into my world is by my choice.

In my hunt for peace I have found it to be very important that I guard my mind and choose wisely. That means monitoring the music that I listen to, the TV shows that I watch, the books that I read and so on.
I was in the habit of watching CSI when it first came out years ago. I loved the investigative elements of the show but as the months rolled on sometimes I found myself feeling defiled by the horrible crime that was committed at the start of the show. Of course, there had to be a crime to solve but sometimes there was a sinister, evil element that lingered in my thinking. I felt convicted that I shouldn't be watching so many cop shows but I didn't want to give them up. So then, I not only felt defiled by the evil in the show but I felt a sense of guilt and shame for watching it despite the effect it had on me.

Needless to say, this is not a good scenario for peace.

I have given up watching cop shows. I don't miss them at all. The sense of being defiled and the conviction I had felt was from the Spirit of God who was trying to steer me away from evil and lead me to a better path. I try to fill my mind with things that honor and please God. Then I skip the guilt and shame and it moves me toward a greater sense of peace.

Sometimes I need to sort thru past memories to find things that have stolen my peace but other times I just need to be on guard against things that threaten to steal it in the here and now.