Our Minds

We need to focus on where our minds are. Paul says in Colossians 3:1-2:

“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.”

It’s hard to be down on yourself when you are praising God and setting your mind on things above. It’s very hard to be in a bad mood or snap at your children when you are thanking the Lord for the good things He’s done in your life. Try it sometime and see what happens. See how long you can continue being mad at the world when you are writing a list of things you are thankful for. This is actually something I have done with my oldest son. There have been times he has been very upset over something and his “punishment” has been to write a list of 50 things he’s thankful for. If he complains, I up it to 100, so he has learned very quickly to just quietly walk away and write the 50 things he’s thankful for. When he comes back with his list, he is much easier to talk to about his attitude, or whatever situation needs to be addressed.

When we intentionally set our minds on Christ, filling it with things that are good such as Bible verses, wholesome music, and books that are uplifting and encouraging, we begin to see a change in our attitudes and outlook on life. We begin to find ways to praise the Lord while we’re making dinner; we learn that we can pray for our children and husband as we do their laundry; we can thank the Lord for our children as we change dirty diapers; we can pray for our child’s future as we rock them at night and try to get them to go back to sleep.

You see, our mind is where everything starts. If we are able to focus our thoughts on good things and keep our thoughts there, our outlook on the day becomes much brighter.

One thing I’ve done to help keep my mind on things above, is I make sure I have worship music playing while I’m making dinner. This seems to drown out the excess noise and helps me focus my thoughts on the Lord. I’ve also left my Bible open to a certain passage on the counter (usually Psalms), so while I’m running around getting snacks and drinks for the kids during the day, I’m able to stop and look down for a minute, grab a verse and mull it over. I have heard of moms placing key Bible verses in common areas (the mirror in their bathroom, by the speedometer in their car, on their kitchen sink, on the fridge, on their computer screen) so they can keep their minds focused on the Lord.