Guard Your Ways

eDevotion

Encouragement for your daily walk with God 

“I will guard my ways,” the Psalmist said. His point had to do with repeated, engrained behavior - guard where I tread. I get that from the Hebrew word translated ways. It’s a word that pictures a beaten path. 

Perhaps you’ve heard that old saying, “He’s set in his ways,” meaning you’re not likely to change the way a person acts, his behavior. The “ways” are habits, attitudes, and responses that aren’t likely to change without strong motivation, or, from a Christian perspective, without some sort of an encounter with God. 

Your “ways” have to start somewhere. I believe they start with our thinking. Steven Covey, in his book, The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, wrote, “Sow a thought; reap an action. Sow an action; reap a habit. Sow a habit; reap a character. Sow a character; reap a destiny." It all points back to a thought that perhaps should have been dealt with, but wasn’t.

It’s the beginning of a new week. Take some time today to consider your thoughts. Ask yourself, “Am I giving in to thoughts that lead to ungodly ways?” If so, cast those thoughts aside and ask God to help your resolve to put them behind you. Then, replace them with positive things, things the Apostle Paul told the Philippian Christ followers to think about: “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 such things” [Philippians 4.8].

Godly thoughts lead to godly ways.

Therefore I said to myself, “I will guard my ways and not sin in what I say. I will hold my tongue when the ungodly are around me.” Psalm 39.1