What consumes your mind?

I had a big whopper test on Friday on the treatment for the various psychiatric disorders. I seemed to have studied so much, much more than I normally do for a test. I am not sure why, except maybe that we had a shorter time between this test and our previous one (and I had quite a few social events planned), so I began studying right away...which led to about 10 days of studying versus my normal few. Alison, Molly, and I made the best out of it last week by spending considerable amounts of time at Starbucks and Bagel Nation. One of the things I love about being a student is getting to spend most days with my friends!

I am burned out!! Since then, and especially over the weekend, ALL I can seem to think about are the psychiatric treatment algorithms and medications. Is this nerdy or what?! They just pop in my head all day! Everything seems to conjure up these thoughts...I hear someone complaining of an ailment and I think of which drugs have this side effect...or I hear someone say they are anxious and I think about the treatment algorithm for anxiety...Ah!

This has reminded me of importance of what you permeate your mind with...I am not saying it is bad to learn things well or spend time learning, (this is my career and I do feel I am called to put much time and effort into it and do it well)...but, it is just a reminder of what you spend your time doing and thinking about definitely affects your thoughts. I remember my parents telling me this all the time, and it was their reason of limiting the movies I watched and music I listened to. I am not sure I was convinced then that it mattered...and even probably thought "well, I only like the beat/tune...the words don't matter". Sound familiar?

I have been convicted with the thought of how great it would be if my mind was this set of things of Christ. What if my thoughts were so permeated with Christ, that everything reminded me of Him?!  I must put more time into learning, understanding, and praying through His Word for it to completely fill my mind...and I have learned that this is possible!

"Set your minds on things above, and not on earthly things." 

-Colossians 3:2

"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

"But his delight is in the law of the Lord, and on his law he meditates day and night." 

-Psalm 1:2 

"I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you...

My soul is consumed with longing for your laws at all times." 

-Psalm 119:11, 20