2 minute read.
Daily Reading: Jeremiah 8:8-9:26 ESV, Colossians 3:1-17 ESV, Psalm 78:32-55 ESV, Proverbs 24:27 ESV
Daily Verse: “Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth.” (Colossians 3:2 ESV)
PHRONEO (5426): “To exercise the mind, i.e., entertain or have a sentiment or opinion; by impl. To be (mentally disposed (more or less earnestly in a certain direction); intens. To interest oneself in (with concern or obedience). Col 3:2, set your affection.”[1]
Exercise the mind
“If you’d stop and think once in a while, you wouldn’t get into so much trouble,” Mom.
My mother told me to stop and think because of my actions. In other words, my movements indicated a lack of thought. When I overspent on my credit card, I did it impulsively. Breaking my foot because I kicked a chair in anger revealed an emotional reaction I didn’t control. Wrecking my car because I fought with a boyfriend showed a lack of priorities.
Paul’s telling the Colossians to stop and think about their thoughts. They say they follow Jesus, but their actions, which come from thoughts, don’t align with their words.
Stop and think.
Think about where you focus your thoughts. Ask yourself questions:
- “What do I spend the most time thinking about every day?”
- Are my thoughts positive or negative?
- How much do I think about Jesus before I react to a situation?
One of the things which genuinely helps me the most, and I do not do it enough, happens when I think about Jesus first. If I take time, before I do anything else, to ask myself, “What would Jesus do?” I stop and think.
In a moment of crisis, when my emotions overwhelm me, I struggle to stay focused on Jesus. My mind races to the worst-case scenario so quickly that it scares me. Trying to reign in those thoughts, capturing them, and refocusing on Jesus takes extreme effort. Sometimes I fail; other times, I don’t. But I do know the more I try, the better I do.
Following Jesus takes practice. We have to stop and think about our thoughts. We can’t capture what we don’t know. But when we take time to think about our thoughts, then refocus them on Jesus, we’ll experience peaceful minds.
Our actions reflect our thoughts. When we focus our minds on Jesus, our actions will reflect Christ.
[1] Strong, J., & Strong, J. (2010). The New Strong’s expanded exhaustive concordance of the Bible. Greek Dictionary of the New Testament (pp. 266-7) Thomas Nelson
