Not long ago, one of my psychotherapy clients who is a Christian had a revelation. Their pastor gave a sermon on Philippians 4:8 and my client realized they were dwelling on all the bad things in their life — especially when it came to their marriage, instead of dwelling on what is good.

I was excited because they were very right. They had been making themselves miserable for years by repeating the same narrative of loss, betrayal and dissatisfaction over and over.

Like many of my clients, Christian or not, they found concentrating on what is good was not as easy as just thinking about new things. I often hear reports like, “I tried what the pastor said, and I could do it a little bit. But then the injustice of it all kept popping up. It irritated me to think what I did not criticize would then become acceptable. I was afraid I would be left without getting anything I need, as usual.” There is always a lot more to it than that, but you might be able to fill in the rest, since you may have a tale of grievance you tell yourself, too.

In the course of my dialogue with that one Christian client, I thought there might be something missing. The life-changing action they were trying to take might need a more fundamental step before they got to a new way to see the world and their mate. I said something like, “Maybe you should take account of how all the beautiful things mentioned in Philippians 4:8 are in you. Then it might not be so crucial if someone else affirmed them.”

Let’s all take a few minutes and account for the goodness we live in, which also lives in us. Dwell in what is good and accept that good dwells in you.

Philippians 4:8

Philippians 4:8 is one of those places in Paul’s letters to his disciples where he makes a brilliant summary statement. The Letter to the Philippians (in the New Testament part of the Bible), as a whole, is a sweet, four-chapter, summary of the Apostle’s best teaching. Chapter 4 verse 8 might be a summary of the summary. It certainly deserves to  be on all those plaques hanging in Christian bedrooms! It sums up how to live according to who you’ve become in Christ.

Here it is in a more literal translation that is widely used:

“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.” (NIV)

Here is a variation from an artful translation I appreciate:

“Finally, brothers and sisters, fill your minds with beauty and truth. Meditate on whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is good, whatever is virtuous and praiseworthy.” (The Voice)

The string of words that render different ways to see the goodness God built into creation are usually where teachers, preachers and commentators concentrate. We love definitions don’t we? — we say things like “What does that mean exactly?” A pastor could get weeks of teaching out of this one passage, looking at one word at a time. And they might be good sermons.

I’m not sure the definitions make that much difference. It appears Paul took most of the words from common Greek philosophy and morality. He could have thought of quite a few more to use. Regardless of the details of how he said it, his main idea was and is, “We will all be better off if we train our fractious minds to focus on the good given to us and good we have to give others.” You can walk around your house seeing every bit of impurity and dishonor until the next family member you see looks like a threat to your security! But why would you do that if you live in grace?

Beyond common sense

In these famous sentences Paul transcends common sense, which is typical for him, in the way he uses of the Greek word λογίζεσθε. In translations of Philippians 4:8 into English, the verb is often translated “Think about such things,” as in the NIV. John Calvin and The Voice, above, say, “Fill your minds” and “meditate” on these things. I memorized the meaning and intent of the word from the NASB in my college days, which says, “dwell on these things,” as in “be thinking continually” on these things. Other translations say, “account for these things” and “pay attention to these things” and “reckon with these things.”

All those variations are good and important. But they tend to leave the hearer in charge of changing their minds and conforming to a better way of thinking. I think most people come away from the verses (and likely from most sermons!) with, “I need to be accountable for keeping my mind on these things” or “I need to be conformed to these good things so I will be good.” Or maybe I have lived in modern and postmodern times so long, I assume most people think that is how reality works — “I make what is real, real.”

My client assumed they were in charge and it felt weighty and impossible. Their epiphany moved them to see what is good but their judgment moved them to fixate on how their mate was one more example of someone not loving them very well. It felt intolerable. And, to be honest, for them it felt like all the hurts of the past were never going to be touched with anything that would heal them, they just needed to be overlooked. It was up to them to make being overlooked OK. We’re complex.

My reply to them was based on a deeper use of the word λογίζεσθε. We don’t make goodness, it is the gift of  God. For instance,

• in Romans 6:11, Paul uses the verb in the most basic way he sees it: “In the same way, count yourselves dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus.” Give up your old way of seeing yourself and others.
• In 1 Cor. 13:11 he famously says, “I used to account for things like a child.” But no more. See things like a real human grown up, living in love.
• In 2 Cor. 10:2, he experiences confidence in the presence of Christ and accounts for his boldness as a result. Later on in v.5 he sees his work as taking godless thinking and making it captive to the knowledge of God in Jesus. It is the hallmark of Jesus followers that they hope for change and look for goodness to make a difference.

So the revelation of the pastor to my client was a bit more than just changing one’s mind (being “mindful,” we say today) and gaining a better outlook and attitude — I sent them the Enchanted video I love which also questions that mentality.

Before most of us can get to such a gracious way to see others and live in the world with confidence, I think we need to apply Philippians 4:8 to how we see ourselves.

Don’t just dwell on the good, dwell in it

My client did not see themself through any of the lenses on which Paul insists we see the world. They were suspicious of anything that could be called good in them. If they were criticizing their mate, they were sure to be criticizing themself more! They saw themself as failing, unhappy, and filled with an icky bitterness they could not shake. Their transformation needed to be spiritual, too. Deeper than mental hygiene is the spiritual work of being restored by God. We can either cooperate with our redemption or be in charge of it.

So I suggested my client apply Philippians 4:8 to looking at themself and then dwell on all the wonderful goodness they could find in themself. Maybe it would be a memory of what someone else noticed or praised, or maybe it would be some comfort once experienced while snug in their bed. But I was hoping for them to see themselves like God sees them and like I saw them: quite lovely now and prospectively even more wonder-filled in the future and then glorious in the age to come. Paul wants us to account for the presence of God in Jesus for us and the Spirit of Truth who dwells with us.

Give it a try. Don’t just assess things outside yourself, or think about how you are going to act well, certainly not how you are imperfect or bad. Dwell on who you already are, what is built into you, what you have developed, what you desire, your best ideas.

Try thinking about each of the following bullet points so you understand as much as you can. But then go deeper. Lean back into the silence with God and let what they talk about rise up in you. See it and accept who you truly are. Be yourself in Christ.

• what is true or noble — honest, honorable — better yet “venerable,” of the Spirit, unique to you.
• what is right or pure — what can be judged good and what is just good which no one can judge.
• what is lovely or admirable – how you are loved and loveable, how you have shown love, how you have been brave in the troubles of love.
• what is excellent or praiseworthy – the things in you which you know are good, like your willingness to read this post and do this exercise.

It may be hard to “think about such things” but it must be done. If all you have is “Jesus thinks I am worthy of saving,” that might be good enough. But dig deep; you are a wonder. God is with you and you are part of a good creation. Dwell on that and you will have more capacity to face the complexities of growing and relating.