Several weeks ago I heard someone make the following simple, profound comment:
Christians need to have their minds disinfected every day.
At first this comment sounds somewhat ominous. Disinfected every day? You mean like Big Brother? 1984? Propaganda? Go back to your robots Mr. Thought Police, because I don’t want to have my mind disinfected!
But take a moment to pause and ponder. The truth is, we do need to have our minds spiritually disinfected every day. Each day several things are certain:
- I’ll be tempted to think “hard thoughts” of God instead of gospel thoughts. My default M.O. is legalism. Trying to earn God’s favor. Fearing the loss of God’s favor when I sin. Doubting the compassion of God. Failing to see the mercy of God in every circumstance.
- I’ll be tempted to evaluate circumstance based upon my feelings rather than God’s word. Trouble at work with an impossible boss? There’s no good coming from this situation and I need another job. Conflict with your spouse? I’ll never change and there’s no hope for my marriage. Struggling with an overwhelming workload? I hate my life and I hate school.
Let me put this in Biblical terms. In Romans 12:2 Paul says:
Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect. (emphasis mine)
If I don’t regularly renew my mind with the truth of God’s word, I’ll perpetually operate from one of these mindsets. If I don’t use the gospel to kill hard thoughts of God I’ll wallow in legalism. If I don’t interpret my circumstances through the lens of scripture I’ll miss God’s perspective and be a miserable mess.
Simple application questions:
- Do you renew your mind on a regular basis by reading, meditating upon, and memorizing the word of God?
- Do you regularly revisit the gospel?
{ 9 comments… read them below or add one }
Thanks Stephen! I am always encouraged by your posts
Brilliant post, your two points of certainty for each day are so true!
Thanks once again for your constant reminder to be gospel saturated
When I realize how quickly my thoughts and feelings push out the truth of the Gospel I am ashamed. I yearn for the day that I am so awash in God’s Word that His truth becomes my truth and His thoughts become my thoughts.
Just the edifying word I need for the moment.
Thank you, sir.
Thinking about disinfecting our minds every day is such a good picutre. In the same way that the gunk in our bathrooms will build up and eventually cause diseases if it is not cleaned- our minds must be cleaned out on a regular basis or they will continue to collect the junk of this world. Thank you for another good reminder!!
Great post. I taught last night on holiness and the fact that we try to be justified because we act holy instead of being holy because we have already been justified. Keep up the great messages!
Excellent post, Stephen. As I did my laundry today, I was doing just this: disinfecting my mind, renewing it with the truth. The battle at the moment was such that I had to speak scripture out loud to myself. I am grateful for the store of God’s Word that was hidden in my heart at a young age via Christian school. What a means of grace memorization continues to be to me to this day.
One specific area I believe women are susceptible is the area of feminism. I remember hearing once, “we breathe feminist air.” I was so impacted by the truth of that statement and realized at that moment how intentional I needed to be to fill my mind particularly with God’s thoughts about my role as a woman and not think I will casually absorb it by simply being around other Christian women or even at church. I must go to the Word, read good books on this topic and seek to spit out the garbage fed to me every day, all day by media and other such sources about what it means to be a woman.
Thank you all for your encouraging comments! I’m so grateful for your encouragement, and I read and appreciate every comment.
Michelle – I too and am eager for the day when my thoughts will be washed clean!
Wendy – I also really like the picture of disinfecting the mind. It’s such a vivid picture.
Briana – Isn’t it great to have scripture at your disposal for the fight against sin? It’s the only way to fight effectively. It’s also so true that we tend to simply absorb the sinful patterns of our culture. What’s the solution? Like you said, filling your mind with God’s thoughts.
Thanks for this post.