Renew Your MindSýnishorn

Day 18: Set Your Mind on Things Above

Scripture:
"Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things." – Colossians 3:1–2 (NIV)

Devotional:

There’s a direction your thoughts want to go down. Left to themselves, they spiral toward fear, jealousy, worry, doubt, and discouragement. Earthly things pull your mind like gravity. That’s why Paul tells us clearly: Set your mind on things above.

This command isn’t a call to live with your head in the clouds or ignore your responsibilities. It’s challenging to align your thinking with your identity, who you are, and where you belong.

Paul opens this passage with a crucial truth: “Since you have been raised with Christ…” That’s the foundation. You’ve been brought from death to life. You no longer live for the temporary but for the eternal. And because of that, you’re called to think differently.

1. Think Like You Belong to Heaven

If you’ve been raised with Christ, your citizenship is in heaven (Philippians 3:20). You’re not just trying to survive on earth; you’re called to bring heaven’s perspective into your daily life.

“Setting your mind” is like programming the GPS of your thoughts. You’re not passively letting your mind wander wherever it wants. You’re intentionally aiming your focus upward to where Christ is.

When your mind is set above:

• You see problems through the lens of God’s power.
• You respond to offense with grace instead of vengeance.
• You measure success by obedience, not applause.
• You find peace, even when your circumstances aren’t peaceful.

Earthly thinking keeps you anxious, striving, and reactive. But heavenly thinking lifts your gaze to what’s unchanging: Jesus, seated at the right hand of God, reigning in perfect authority.

2. Guard Your Inputs

To set your mind on things above, you must be mindful of what’s feeding your thoughts. What you consume shapes what you contemplate. What you scroll through, listen to, and talk about; these things have gravity.

If most of your mental diet comes from worldly voices, it’s no surprise when your thoughts drift toward fear, envy, or pride. But if you fill your mind with Scripture, worship, prayer, and truth-filled conversations, you’re giving yourself the tools to set your mind where it belongs.

Ask yourself:

• Is what I’m dwelling on helping me think more like Jesus?
• Does it draw my attention toward Christ or distract me from Him?
• Am I training my thoughts to rise or allowing them to sink?

3. Reset Often

“Set your mind” implies something you do and something you keep doing. It’s not a once-a-week adjustment; it’s a daily, even hourly, reorientation.

When your thoughts drift into negativity or fear, gently bring them back:

• “Lord, help me set my mind on You right now.”
• “This worry isn’t from You. Let me trust Your plan.”
• “Jesus, You are still on the throne. Help me live as I believe it.”

Each reset is a choice to refocus, a small act of surrender. Over time, this builds a habit. And habits shape character.

4. Let Your Focus Shape Your Life

What you focus on determines what you become sensitive to. Focusing on Christ will make you more aware of His presence and guidance. If you fixate on earthly troubles, you’ll grow anxious and distracted.

When you set your mind on things above, your responses change. You stop reacting like everyone else. You start living like someone who truly belongs to another kingdom.

This mindset honors God and changes you from the inside out.

Prayer:
Jesus, thank you for raising me in a new life with you. Help me to set my mind on the things above, to fix my attention on who you are and what you’ve promised. I confess that I’m often distracted by earthly things. Teach me to lift my eyes and live with a heavenly perspective. Reset my thoughts when they drift and fill me with the peace from knowing you are seated in authority. It is in the name of Jesus Christ I pray, amen.