Get Your Mind Out of the World!
What you think about in your unguarded moments reflects what your mind dwells upon. What you speak about when your guard is down is a good gauge of what is in your heart (Matt. 12:34). Your mind needs exercise just as your physical body does. To keep your body healthy, you must be careful what you put into it, and you must exercise regularly. To keep your thoughts pure, you must guard what goes into your mind. To exercise your mind, you must contemplate things that are noble and truths that stretch your mind. Some Christians allow the world to fill their minds with ungodly thinking. Some people seem drawn to concentrate on the negative, choosing to be pessimistic about everything. Some remain satisfied with thinking of the mundane. Others fail to intentionally place Scripture in their thoughts, choosing instead to adopt human reasoning. Others, however, choose to expose their minds to the truths of God—to that which is true, noble, just, pure, lovely, and good. The things you allow your mind to dwell on will be revealed by the way you live. If you focus on negative things, you will inevitably be a negative person. If you allow unholy thoughts to fill your mind, ungodliness will become common in your life. If you fill your mind with thoughts of Christ, you will become Christlike. What you fill your mind with is a matter of choice. Choose to concentrate on the magnificent truths of God, and they will create in you a noble character that brings glory to God. - Blackaby Experiencing God Day by Day
In recent days, for whatever reason, life's been a lot more...shall we say...intense.
I have been in the same job, but not the same role, since this time last year. The struggles are very real, the battles are in my face.
If not for my trust in my God and not in me, I would never have survived. I have been praying that Jesus would do for me as He did for the children of Israel. To go before me into battle before I set foot on the battlefield. The situations were much bigger than me.
When life gets this way that is where I turn. Why? No, it's not a sign of weakness. It's a sign of strength. I am no longer my own. I was bought with a price, the blood of Jesus. When life is good or life is less than ideal, it's to Jesus that I go.
I may be a learner. I like to watch videos on how things work, how to fix things. I have fantastic ideas on things that I would like to build because of them. But my life isn't about my achievements. It's about what Jesus is achieving in me. I cannot and should not, love this world nor the things in this world. It's been a sticking point with me, ever since I was convicted of it, not to brandish worldly symbols on my clothing. I don't want people to look at me and think of things in this world. I would rather take every opportunity for them to hopefully look at me and think about Jesus. I may be partial towards a sports team or two, but I will never hold them higher in my life than where Jesus is to be. I have had several convictions along those lines. It's not being a fan, it's worship. Only God deserves my worship. Same goes with my likes in this world such as science fiction. I may like something like Star Trek, as an example, but will not collect nor wear anything that can be seen as worship.
My mind needs to be on the work at hand, on my Wife, and my walk with God. I do watch older television shows from my younger years. But I do not dwell on them. I occasionally watch movies from long ago but I do not dwell on them. I look forward to my moments with my Savior in the morning more than all the world has to offer. Everything in this world is doomed to perish, my relationship with Jesus will be for eternity.
Where is your mind? Are you at all concerned about what you are thinking about? Is family, even, more important to you than your life before Jesus? We live in a trophy world these days. Kids believe they should be given a trophy for participating. We live with adults who believe that too. We live with a culture who wants others to do the work while they go do what they want. Sin run rampant is the result. It's where their mind is.
Where your heart is there is your treasure. If it's on anyone or anything down here all the time, my friend you are very much distracted from what really matters. Jesus said to store up treasure in Heaven. That means focusing on Heavenly things. On our Father in Heaven. On Jesus and His Words. On a life that says THAT is where my mind is.
If all you do is look upon things down here, anger, malice, stress and anxiety will be your daily diet of life. Your anger does not achieve the righteousness of God. You thinking your retired and can go live out your life your way does not achieve the righteousness of God. Your living in your day today without time with Jesus will never achieve the righteousness of God in you. Get your mind out of this world. Set your mind on things above not on things down here.
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