What’s on Your Mind?
Today, I’m
re-posting a writing I did a while back. The premise of this piece is just as
true today as it was then and for many people I know it’s more meaningful today
than it was one or two or three years ago. Please be encouraged.
I
don’t know about you, but I certainly have a lot on my mind these days. We all
have personal and family matters to think about. Many of us also make room in
our minds for multiple connections with church, friends, jobs, and community.
Besides all that, our minds are bombarded with news (good and bad) and events,
both local and global.
This
very day I concern myself with meeting with friends for Bible study,
transporting a grandchild to swim practice, household and business
responsibilities, writing responsibilities, and praying that my grandson, who
broke his finger, will NOT need surgery. That lists just a few things on my
mind today. Most of these things are positive and pleasurable aspects of my
life.
Unless
we never listen to the news, you and I are blasted with information that
can overwhelm our minds, emotions, and spirits if we’re not careful. We truly
must take every thought captive—on purpose! (1 Corinthians 10:5)
This
very day I was also confronted with much tragic news--- local, national, and
global. I’ll mention a few.
In my
community, a five-year-old boy who had been missing for four days was found
dead in an old septic system near his home. Last night tornadoes ripped through
areas of our nation, destroying property and taking the lives of fellow
Americans. It’s been decided that the aircraft, which crashed in the French
Alps three days ago, appears to have been deliberately downed by the plane’s
co-pilot. And of course, we can’t omit the constant threat of terrorists who
seek to kill peace loving, innocent folks all over the world these days. This
does not complete the list of negatives that forced their way into my mind
today. These kinds of dreadful happenings are powerful forces that can easily
dishearten any of us.
But,
I’m here to declare today that God’s Word gives good instruction on dealing
with a full and troubled mind. One of my favorite methods for coping is to
follow the Apostle Paul instructs in Colossians 3:2, where he said, “Set
your mind on things above, not on things on the earth.”
How
are we to accomplish that? It’s not necessarily easy but it is necessarily
deliberate. I find that one of the best ways to set one’s mind on things above
is to read the Bible. I know that sounds like a simple pat answer but
think about it for a moment. Let me give you a personal example.
A few
years ago, I was going through several very negative experiences. It seemed
that bad things just kept piling on me from many different directions. The helplessness
of having no control in trying to alleviate the emotional pain made me wonder
just how long I could continue to function.
I was
praying and in the Word consistently, as was my routine. I was even leading a
Bible study at the time. But I still found myself dwelling on the negative
things that were weighing me down. As I sought God I decided to go to the
basics about Jesus, Himself.
I
began to read through the Gospels—Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. When I got
through that, I read through the book of Acts. No, I didn’t read it all in one
day or week or month.
I was
doing exactly what Paul had instructed the Colossian believers. I was setting
my mind on things above, not on things on the earth. In doing this, God’s
Word---studying Jesus—lifted me up to a higher level.
Those
negative situations that kept piling on me did not just evaporate. Some
improved, some eventually took care of themselves, some remained pretty much
the same, and some got worse. I’ve looked back on that season in my life, a
period of about eight months, and see how God used His Word as a tool to help
me set my mind on things that are eternal, things that are true, things that
are above the earth. During that particular time, I set my mind on Jesus,
Himself, as I read through the Gospels. I believe I was led by the Holy Spirit
to do exactly that and I’m so glad I followed His leading.
Let’s
look at Paul’s instructions, in its context: “If then you were
raised with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ is, sitting
at the right hand of God. Set your mind on things above, not on things on the
earth. For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ
who is our life appears, the you also will appear with Him in glory” (Colossians
3:1-4).
Notice
that the above passage contains abundant meaty encouragement that can set our
minds on things above. It instructs, explains how and why, and then points to
our eternal hope—all built on Jesus.
Here
we see a good example of the Word’s immense value in helping us set our mind on
things above instead of things on the earth. So, be encouraged as you do just
that.
If
you’d like, please leave a comment telling of a time when you set your mind on
things above, not on things on the earth, and were thus encouraged and lifted
out of sadness, or discouragement, or troubles of some kind. We can all be
encouraged by one another’s testimonies. Thanks, and God bless you abundantly
today!
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