“All things are permissible but not all things are beneficial,..” (1 Corinthians 10:23)
Our conscience is constantly at risk of assimilating things that may not necessarily be beneficial to us. We are constantly being influenced by friends, family, television, newspapers, magazines, music and the internet, all of which constantly vie for our attention and try to influence our perceptions. While it is permissible to watch television or surf the internet for hours, not all that we see, read, and assimilate there is beneficial to us.
Romans 12 says ‘be transformed by the renewing of YOUR MIND that YOU may prove what is the good, and acceptable, and perfect will of God’.
In order to renew our minds we need to ensure that we are not assimilating into our conscience, things that could negatively influence our ability to distinguish between things that are beneficial to us and things that can harm us. These things cloud our ability to see the truth, as well as impairing our clarity of moral and spiritual vision, so leading us into deception.
We can protect our minds by raising our awareness, and keeping our thoughts, sensations, perceptions, moods, emotions and dreams in check. Let’s make it a habit to always probe ourselves with this question “Is this consistent with what I believe?” “What am I assimilating into my subconscious mind?” We all need to be aware of what or who influences us, because what influences us will determine who we become. Remember, “we become what we behold”.
