Thinking Christian: A Counter-Culture WorldviewNäide

A RENEWED MIND

One of the words you encounter when you read the Bible is “repent.” In Greek, this word indicates a change of mind and heart. Used by Jesus and the New Testament writers, it means that you turn from sin and turn toward God. And our sinful behaviors don’t usually spontaneously arise from our physical bodies. Sinful behavior begins in the mind. This is why Paul is preoccupied with the mind. Consider these observations about the Mind from Paul’s letter to the church in Rome:

-Every thought has the power to move me toward the Holy Spirit or close me off from Him.

-The natural tendency of the mind apart from God is toward death.

Ask Yourself:

-How distracted is my mind? Consider possible sources: social media, entertainment, news, games, online browsing, shopping, etc.

-What are the sources of my thoughts? What am I investing my mind in daily?

-Toward what kinds of thoughts does my mind drift? Make a list- use this one to get you started: Hope, Gratitude, Pessimism, Envy, Selfish desires

Pause to Pray:

Lord, I want to live an abundant life filled with peace even on hard days. Holy Spirit, I need your help! Transform my mind. Convict me when I “spend” my thoughts on things that are harmful and distracting. As I spend more time in the Word and in prayer, teach my mind to turn to what you desire… Amen.

Take a Next Step:

As you go about your day, look for the sources of the attributes listed in Philippians 4:8 (true, noble, right, pure, lovely, admirable, excellent, or praiseworthy). How can you add more of these to your daily intake?