“Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will” (Rom 12:2).

Would it surprise you to learn that 26 percent of people didn’t read even part of a book in the last year? As an avid reader, that statistic boggles my mind. Books compete with a host of other forms of entertainment for our attention. If you’re not reading, you’re missing out on some great benefits, including a reduced amount of stress and improved memory and focus.

If that’s not enough proof of why you should be reading, check out this statistic: a study by researchers at the University of Toledo reported that 77 percent of participants who watched more than two hours of TV each night felt significantly more depressed, stressed, and had higher levels of anxiety than those who watched less.

I’ve noticed that certain types of books do increase my stress level and darken my mood. It’s Philippians 4:8 in action: “Finally, brothers and sisters, 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.”

Specifically, novels in which the character faces an endless number of struggles with no hope of resolution bring me down. Of course, obstacles increase tension and are necessary for me to keep turning the page, but too many overwhelming obstacles becomes, well, overwhelming. I don’t necessarily need a happy ending, but I do need to know that life will get better for these characters.

Paul was onto something in both Philippians 4:8 and Romans 12:2. Whether we’re talking books, movies, TV shows, or video games, what we put into our minds matters.

I read an eclectic mixture of nonfiction and fiction in my quest to find books that are “true…noble…right…pure…lovely…admirable.” I’ve learned that it’s okay to stop reading a book I’m just not enjoying. When I was younger, I thought I had to finish no matter what. But as I’ve gotten older, I’ve realized that life is too short to spend time on a book I don’t like or that’s making me depressed.

My prayer is that by striving to read books that are “true…noble…right…pure…lovely…admirable,” my mind will be renewed, and my thoughts will remain on positive things. Learning how to put down books that don’t fit this description goes a long way. With Jesus’s help, I’ll continue to make strides in this area.

Dear Jesus, thank you for showing me how to select books and other materials that improve my outlook and draw me closer to you. Amen.

Author’s Note: I track the books I read on Goodreads. If you’re on there, send me a friend request. You can also follow me as an author if you enjoy my devotionals. I like to see what my friends are reading, and I’ve gotten some great recommendations from my friends’ lists over the years.