Colossians 3:1-2 (NKJV)
“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.”
Is it just me, or do you re-live things in your mind too? Maybe it was a really good show and you think about the plot twist that caught you off guard. Maybe it was a song you heard and now you can’t get it out of your brain. Maybe it was that athlete and their amazing play. Maybe it is just the replay of a simple conversation. Do you think about things like that after the fact too? My guess is you do. I think it is a human characteristic that particularly manifests itself when we’re not really focusing on anything in general. So our minds help us out. Sometimes it is really helpful. Other times – not so much.
The point is, because we tend to re-live things, it is important that we pay attention to what we put in our minds, in front of our eyes, and in our ears. I’m not saying we never have downtime. We all need space to rest. But the quality of what we entertain should matter to us. I think the overarching position we hold should be one of promoting heavenly thoughts instead of feasting on the junk food this world provides. I think we should be purposeful about what we expose ourselves to. Do we spend 30 minutes in the Bible in the mornings, three hours with the TV at night and then get surprised when our mind wanders? Maybe grabbing a book that will enhance our Christian walk might serve us better? Maybe re-listening to the last church service will help it settle in a little better.
Whatever it is, try shaking things up. It is so easy to coast through our daily routines. It can be hard to change old habits. I am giving it a try. I want to be more purposeful and better equipped to live this life as Christ intended. He told us to set our minds. That means we can because He would never tell us to do something impossible. I believe He will help us.
You know the old phrase “A mind is a terrible thing to waste”? It’s true, let’s not waste all of our time on things that have zero or even negative impact. Let’s insert some purposeful habits into our lives that will help produce minds that are well set; minds that think and remember things of value. Good and Godly things that will spur us on in our Christian walk.