White Elephants Today's Three-minute Bible Study Print, Study and Apply Title: White Elephants ----------------------- Date: 8/14/1999 Keywords: "meditation" "sublimation" Welcome to eXXit, the web site designed to help you stand strong in the face of sexual temptation. Passage: Psalm 77:10-12* 10. Then I thought, "To this I will appeal: the years of the right hand of the Most High." 11. I will remember the deeds of the LORD; yes, I will remember your miracles of long ago. 12. I will meditate on all your works and consider all your mighty deeds. Questions 1. When you try not to think about pornography, what happens?   2. What remedy does this passage recommend?   Practical help What happens when someone tells you, "Whatever you do, don't think about a white elephant." You don't need a degree in psychology to figure out the answer: Try as you might not to, you probably think about a white elephant. Pornography works like that, too. We can tell ourselves, "I shouldn't think about pornographic images" -- and the next thing we know, our mind conjures up an X-rated feature film. All we lack is popcorn and a Coke. The psalmist offers us a simple remedy to this sad state of affairs: Replace negative thoughts with praiseworthy ones. In the passage preceding this selection, the writer laments all the bad things that spring to his mind. But in verses 10 to 12, he focuses on God's mighty deeds. The negative stuff retreats from his thoughts. This is not sublimation -- pushing sexual images into the subconscious. This is meditation -- consciously choosing to dwell on God. So the next time you're tempted with pornographic "home movies" -- or even the real thing -- decide to concentrate on God's grandeur. Your gift will be a clear conscience, not a white elephant. eXXit homepage Index of three-minute studies Copyright 1999 by eXXit * Scriptures are from The Holy Bible: New International Version, © Copyright 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society. All rights reserved.