‘Always be full of joy in the Lord. I say it again—rejoice! Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. Let everyone see that you are considerate in all you do. Remember, the Lord is coming soon. Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus. And now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing. Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise. ‘ Philippians 4:4-8 (NLT)
One practical way that we can focus on the target is engaging with Scripture.. Here is an easy framework we at Cross Timbers love to use when reading the Bible. It’s called the SOAP Method, which stands for:
Scripture–Read the passage. Then, pick a verse or two that sticks out to you and write it down.
Observations–What do you see in the verses you’re reading? Are there any repetitions of words or phrases? What ideas stand out to you?
Application–How does this passage apply to you? What does this passage say about how you can give hope or receive hope today?
Prayer–Pray God’s Word back to Him. If He has revealed something to you during this time, talk to Him about it.
from When Self-Help Doesn’t Help: It’s an Inside Job