I want you to know that whenever I read that you are sending me or someone else “good thoughts,” I’m not going to roll my eyes. Instead, I’m going to close my eyes and meditate for a moment on all of the goodness that has flowed into my life from my heavenly Father, all of the goodness being worked into my life by the Holy Spirit, and all of the goodness I stand to inherit by being joined to Jesus Christ. And I’m going to pray that you will know and experience that goodness too.

Dear friend,

When I posted on social media about the difficulty I’m facing, I couldn’t help but notice that a number of people, including you, responded by saying that you are “sending good thoughts.” And I’m trying to figure out what that means.

I think you mean that you wish for me the best possible outcome. I think you mean that you care about what is happening in my life and want me to know I’m not alone in facing this.

I don’t think you mean that you really believe that your good thoughts have some sort of telepathic power to actually create positive change in my situation. But maybe you do. Or maybe sending me “good thoughts” is your way of encouraging me to think good or positive thoughts because you believe there is power in those thoughts to help to bring about a positive outcome.

Even though I’m not exactly sure what you mean, I want you to know how I receive the “good thoughts” you sent my way.

First, I appreciate your kindness. I’m sure there were many people who read my post and scrolled right past it. They weren’t inclined to let me know that they care about what is going on in my life, but you stopped. You reached out to me in this hard place, and I want you to know that is meaningful to me. I’m genuinely grateful for your kindness, for your willingness to get outside of yourself and enter into the difficulty in my life, even if just through a few words posted on social media.

Second, I admire your integrity. While there were some who replied to my post by telling me that they are praying for me, you didn’t. Perhaps it is because you are not a person who prays or has a relationship with God in which you can call him “Father.” To tell me that you were praying for me might fit what you thought I would want to hear, or might fit in with social convention in our circles, but you knew it would be hypocritical for you to say it. There is integrity in that determination that I respect.

Third, your words remind me to think good thoughts. I’m beginning to see that no matter what you intended to communicate by your words, they might actually be what I need most to hear.

In the midst of this difficult situation, deep down I know that what I need most is to set my heart and mind on what is good. More specifically, I need my thoughts to be filled with the One who is good, the only person who is truly, perfectly, and perpetually good — God himself (Luke 18:19).

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