I know that mindfulness is a popular practise these days and it's something that I really know very little about, so I will not comment either way on its appropriateness or effectiveness. What I do know, is that we are constantly throughout scripture, advised to guard our minds and to practise right thinking.
A classic verse to go to for advice on our thought life is Philippians 4v8 "Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honourable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise".
Gandhi once said "I refuse to let anyone walk through my mind with dirty feet." I like that!
Two little things I note from both the verse and the quote are the words "fix" and "refuse". It seems to me that for us to protect and govern our minds for good, requires effort and determination. It's not something which will become automatic, even if we are christians. Gandhi also said "A man is but a product of his thoughts. What he thinks, he becomes.” Our minds are the gatekeepers to our choices and actions. So our out-living of faith, as representatives of Christ here on earth, is hugely dependant on our ability to govern and feed our minds in accordance with God's word, the Bible.
This is no easy task and it is also a continuous one. I often wish that once I'd learnt a lesson or found peace about something, that it would stick ... that would be that and I wouldn't have to work on it again! Sadly it doesn't seem to work like that. It is a daily renewal, a necessary task to undertake hour to hour (or moment to moment at times for me).
There are many verses which warn against us setting our minds on earthy / fleshly things, lustful, corrupt desires and futile choices (Eph 2v3; Eph 4v17; Phil 3v19; 1 Tim 6v5; 2 Tim 3v8; Titus 1v15). Our minds have tremendous capacity for information and knowledge. How we fill them is up to us. It's all very well trying to reduce the negative traffic going in, but at the same rate of managing that, it's also about filling those spaces and processes with positive replacements. This takes both commitment and a genuine desire to purify our head and heart space each and every day ... for the rest of our lives. It may affect our relationships as we seek to surround ourselves with those who will uplift us spiritually rather than degrade our minds. It may affect our family, work and social lives as we concentrate on renewing our minds to be more like Christ’s.
How do we do this practically? There are verses which refer to God's laws and covenants being put in minds and written on hearts (Hebrews 8v10 & 10v16). I suggest that to memorise verses and promises from the Bible is a good use of our minds. To have on tap, stored away, God's truth, to be recalled at a moment, is surely one of the most beneficial resources a christian could have.
Paul says in Romans 12 that we should be "transformed by the renewing of your (our) mind". We all understand the word ‘renew’ ... we renew things all the time, and the purpose of doing such? So that whatever it is we’re renewing, continues and is effective in it’s purpose having been renewed. Applying that to our thought life, to me, would suggest an active, deliberate, focused sense of undertaking. For starters, you have to want to do it ... renewal isn’t automatic (ok maybe some are via direct debit!... our minds however, are not robotic!). We want our minds to be continually effective in the purpose of living for God.
I’m merely sharing what I’ve experienced just lately as I seek to try and renew my mind and focus. I don’t know about you, but if I watch junk on telly in the evening, I’ll go to bed thinking about it, whereas if I have good music on and read a chapter of a good book, my mind is more settled and peaceful (except if I get a song, even a good one, stuck in my head going round and round). I know that if I read verses and promises from the Bible, that they can be brought to mind by the Holy Spirit just at the opportune time. I also know that if I surround myself with friends who understand my desires and support me, they will encourage me if I’m struggling, laugh with me, care, pray for me and often commiserate when some days are just really tough.
Another big part of this is prayer. If my mind is geared up to praying throughout the day, even if it is in little snippets, then my focus is upward, heavenly, God-ward. A true perspective, a right motive and help in the moment can be given in an instant from God if we are communing with Him and seeking His presence in the mayhem of our daily lives.
Harking back to my last post, I do feel that quietness plays a key part in this too. The chaos and mayhem of our lives fills every moment. I’m not suggesting that all our lives are chaotic, but most of us will relate to always having something to do, a demand or expectation which can distract us from true quiet time. Social media has a massive part to play in this and I’m very guilty of scrolling for no reason ... so easily distracted. Many of you will use the all too common three word question (in fact it’s more of a statement than a question) as much as I do, which habitually follows the completion of a task or end of a conversation ... “right, what’s next?” It’s so easy to quickly move onto the next thing or become distracted by a message that could wait till later. It takes conscious effort to change our habits and decide to choose a pause, a quiet moment to refocus, renew, rest and refresh ourselves. "Be renewed in the spirit of your mind" (Eph 4v23).
Let’s think about the past year we’ve had. If you’re reading this then you’ll be living through a pandemic, a result of which will have had an impact on you of enormous proportions. We have all had to adjust to new rules of living, some will have faced huge financial hardships; great loss; challenging choices; mental health implications; engulfing sadness at not being able to see or touch loved ones in their last hours of life; restricted travel to see those we love; added roles never been imposed upon us before; domestic abuse; social isolation; loneliness; juggling so much within a day or perhaps the opposite ... trying to find something to do. I applaud us all, it's been very hard in many ways. It's incredible how resilient the human spirit is, but there will have been moments of despair and pain for all of us. Self awareness and care is essential to survival but I can honestly say that the best source to go to for that, is to your good, Heavenly Father. He cares about me more than I could ever care about myself; He knows what I need (including sleep and rest) and He can provide it. My part is to tell Him and ask, believing in faith, that He is loving and just, and will hear my petition (He has promised that, so I can claim it). Here is a wonderful truth to remember and memorise: He is "the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort" (2 Cor 1v3). Hold on to that.
To properly take regular time to still my heart and mind is not something I do yet, but I would like to. Images associated with calm stillness are so inviting and restful. We all need these times of complete stillness in our souls as it is during the reflective pauses that we can renew ourselves to continue. God doesn’t demand hectic, busy, frantic, whirring lives ... “He lets me rest in green meadows; he leads me beside peaceful streams. He renews my strength. He guides me along right paths ...” (Psalm 23).
Our minds are battlefields, easily under attack, with the purpose of being led away from the truth ... to sneak a little doubt in there, or to exploit some vulnerability. Let's face it, Adam and Eve were the first humans created and they had everything perfectly made by God for them ... they could commune with Him directly, yet the serpent was able to get into their minds with subtlety and cunning, pernicious and appealing ... if they in their perfect state succumbed to the devil's infiltration then we are most definitely vulnerable.
We are instructed to be on the alert: "We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ" (2 Cor 10v5). To take our thoughts captive invokes an image of being bound, under control and in servitude, and that's exactly what we should be striving for. It starts with an awareness, a deep consciousness of our natural failings within our minds / thoughts and then to be constantly on our guard to snatch that thought, fully examine it and if it comes up lacking when held up against the scrutiny of God's standards and word, we should really kick it into touch ... cleanse and refresh. Think of it as a bit like a regime, take personal hygiene as an example, ... a process, different applications, maybe a bit of exfoliation and then the balm of truth to be massaged into the area.
Let's apply this to our thought life: "Aim at heaven and you will get earth thrown in. Aim at earth and you will get neither" (C S Lewis) ... keeping our focus and aim heavenward will ground us, enabling our minds to naturally hold a right perspective.
Victor Hugo said: “Our mind is enriched by what we receive, our heart by what we give”. If we make it our purpose to govern what our minds receive and that this is all good, healthy stuff, then the outpouring of our hearts will reflect that goodness, enriching not only ourselves, but those around us too.
I've been wanting to take a fresh look into what holiness really is and what is means to me. That'll take some time. But for now, I think a question I'm going to start asking myself about my thoughts and what I'm truly spending a lot of my time dwelling on each day, is "is it holy?" Of course a lot of what I think about is just general daily 'stuff' and that's ok ... but, if there are certain conversations, temptations, attitudes or choices, even accusations or malignment, it is good to measure them up against God's truth and to ask if they fit with the call we have responded to, to "be holy" (1 Peter 1v16). If someone tells you that you are something which is not true or kind, then refute it with the truth of God's word ... do not accept lies or allow your identity to be marred when in fact you are beautiful and acceptable to the one true God as He sees Christ in you.
These are lengthy and disjointed ramblings I know, but I do hope that there is something here which may encourage you. I love this verse which is most definitely encouraging:
"Then you will experience God's peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus" (Phil 4v7).
Paul in his letter to Philippi instructed the christians there to forge their minds into conformity to Christ's "Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus" (2v5). It may seem a tall order, but no matter what your past is or your current situation, if you are a child of God, then you have the potential just as much as anyone else. God knows you inside out and shows no preference to individuals. If David could be described as being a man after God's own heart (1 Samuel 13v14) despite all the shocking failings he could clock up, then we can work toward the same hope, of being more conformed to God's mind, His heart and His image, day by day.
With my love
Ingrid x
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