A SHARP MIND: RENEWED BY TRUTH
Those who live according to the flesh have their minds set on what the flesh desires; but those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires. The mind governed by the flesh is death, but the mind governed by the Spirit is life and peace. The mind governed by the flesh is hostile to God; it does not submit to God's law, nor can it do so.
Romans 8:5-7 (NIV)
After days of packing, we were finally ready for the movers. One of the few things left unboxed was a video game console to entertain the kids during the chaos. But they weren't as excited about playing as I expected. When I asked my daughter what was wrong, she explained that we had already turned off the internet in preparation for the move. Without that connection, some of the game's content wouldn't work. The console turned on. The controllers worked. But being disconnected limited what they could do.
In the same way, a person can be intelligent, educated and capable while living disconnected from God. In Ephesians 4:17-18, Paul describes thinking that is futile and understanding that is darkened. Such thinking fails to lead us into the life God created us to live. But our problem runs deeper than a missing connection. Romans 8 says the mind governed by the flesh is hostile to God. Left to ourselves, we resist His authority and organize our lives around our own desires. That resistance often sounds familiar: I deserve this. I need to win this argument. Nobody can tell me how to live. When those thoughts govern our minds, they shape how we treat people and respond to God.
Through Christ, believers have new life and His Spirit. Ephesians 4:23 calls us to be renewed in the attitude of our minds. As we receive God's truth and obey Him, our priorities and responses begin to change. What influences your thinking most? Consider what you repeatedly watch, read and dwell on. Are those influences helping you submit to Christ, or strengthening the desires that pull you away from Him?
APPLICATION: Replace one period of scrolling or entertainment today with reading Ephesians 4:17-24. Identify one assumption that conflicts with God's truth and take a specific step to change your response.
PRAYER: Father, show me where my thinking resists Your authority. Renew my mind through Your Word and help me follow Your Spirit in my desires, decisions and responses. Amen.
"… Our Father in heaven…" Matthew 6:9b (NLT)
• What do You want to say to me today as my Father?
"… may your name be kept holy." Matthew 6:9c (NLT)
• What do You want to reveal to me about Your power today?
"May your Kingdom come soon." Matthew 6:10a (NLT)
• Help me make Your priorities my priorities today.
"Give us today the food we need," Matthew 6:11 (NLT)
• Is there anything specific You want me to do with my time or the people I'm around today?
"and forgive us our sins, as we have forgiven those who sin against us" Matthew 6:12 (NLT)
• Reveal to me anyone I need to forgive or ask for forgiveness.
"And don’t let us yield to temptation…" Matthew 6:13a (NLT)
• Is there anywhere I'm vulnerable to temptation?