Clean Thoughts

Our thoughts, even fleeting ones, can seem an insignificant part of our day. But, in reality, our thoughts eventually determine our characters. Proverbs 23:7 says, “For as [a man] thinketh in his heart, so is he.” And, for those who are striving to be like the Savior, being pure in heart and mind is a must. Here are some helpful tips from the New Era and New Era readers on how to keep your thoughts pure:

Indulging in impure thoughts can lead to hard-to-break thought patterns. Reject a bad thought as soon as it comes into your mind, and it will be easier to do so the next time.
“Let virtue garnish [your] thoughts unceasingly” (D&C 121:45). Think good thoughts to crowd out the impure ones.
Avoid watching, listening to, or reading any material that contains profanity, swearing, pornography, or other improper content.
Make sure you choose your surroundings carefully and that your activities inspire good thoughts.
Surround yourself with good friends who uphold Church standards.
Pray. The Lord can help you overcome any problem you have, including unclean thoughts.
Singing a hymn will elevate your thoughts. You could memorize a hymn you can turn to when you need to get rid of a bad thought.
Your speech reflects your thoughts, so a pure mind will also help you to keep your language clean. Remove yourself from situations where people are gossiping or using profane or vulgar language.
If you’re having trouble controlling your thoughts, imagine that the stage of your mind is always on a movie screen that everyone can see. Don’t think anything that might make you blush.
Keep your thoughts clean to help you stay morally clean. Unclean thoughts make giving in to temptation much easier.
Live so that you can be in tune with the Spirit. To receive the guidance of the Holy Ghost, our minds need to be pure and ready to accept Him.