Spanx Your Mind

Have you ever  tried to put on a spanx?  (aka….girdle)

It doesn’t just slide on quickly.  There is always a bit of a fight to get that firm holding-garment in place to do its job….to tuck “things” in all “nice and proper.”  I just tried it, and yes, it’s as difficult as I remember. 

While that’s a battle, I believe it’s an even greater battle to do this with our thoughts.

Too often, the plan to begin the day with Bible reading and prayer can be overtaken by the thoughts and plans of everything else that is supposed to happen throughout our day.  Then, while thinking of those things that are planned, our minds can further drift  to all the “what ifs” and even fears of all that could happen. Even in prayer, our minds (or am I the only one?) can drift to places of planning and “to do’s” that we never intended to visit during the prayer.  Sometimes I catch myself, wondering how I managed to wander there.  That’s why I have found I need to pray out loud.

I often read the scriptures in 1 Peter 1:13 and Colossians 3:1-2, to be reminded of my need to prepare and set my mind… instead of letting it “flap in the breeze.”   I remember first reading this scripture in the old King James version – which I’ll include below.

1 Peter 1:13-16 (KJV)

Wherefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and hope to the end for the grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation of Jesus Christ; [14] As obedient children, not fashioning yourselves according to the former lusts in your ignorance: [15] But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation; [16] Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy.

This girding up the loins of our minds paints a vivid picture to me of fighting to put on a “spiritual girdle” inside of my head.  “Gird” is where we get the word for “girdle.”

1 Peter 1:13-16 (NIV)

Therefore, prepare your minds for action; be self-controlled; set your hope fully on the grace to be given you when Jesus Christ is revealed. [14] As obedient children, do not conform to the evil desires you had when you lived in ignorance. [15] But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; [16] for it is written: “Be holy, because I am holy.”

Col. 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. [2] Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things.

I must determine to keep my mind on the things to which God calls me.  Even then, the “muffin tops” of my mind can try to spill out. But I just need to tuck them in again when that happens.

If we begin the day spiritually preparing our minds for action and setting our minds on things above we will be much more available to be used by God- and more keenly aware of His presence and power within us.

When we take our thoughts captive (We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ. 2 Cor. 10:5) we can overcome the fears, insecurities, doubts and sins that desire to creep in.  When we gird up our minds for action we learn to see others in the same way that Jesus does, and then we will seek to share with them the amazing treasure of Jesus.  When we set our minds on things above we can then be filled with a peace that passes human understanding, a purpose for which we are ready to live and die, a hope that doesn’t fade and a joy that continually wells from within.

So… as you dress…don’t forget to put the spiritual girdle around your mind.  God will be pleased that you did…and so will you.

First Things First

I've always been a little amused at Jesus instruction in Matthew 6:33, "But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness...."

Priority number one? Two things! #1, his kingdom; #1, his righteousness. How does that work? I don't think it was that he couldn't decide between the two. I think it's that you can't have one without the other.

This kingdom that he wants us to place at the top of our priority list--in the context of this scripture, contrasts a kingdom-priority with life's urgent demands that we are tempted to make our priorty: food, shelter and clothing. Jesus is telling us that his kingdom (the church on earth and heaven in the afterlife) needs to be our primary concern and not to waste our energy on worry about accumulating life necessities. Certainly he wants us to be responsible in providing for our families, but he doesn't want it to rob our souls of the truly important thing--living faithfully in a community of believers with a focus on making it to heaven. He wants us to have a spiritual perspective on our values.

The second #1 is a pursuit of God's righteousness. Jesus wants us to be ever-mindful of our character development. He wants to imitate the righteousness of God and to grow to be more like him everyday. Jesus lived out that righteousness in his time here on earth and had his story recorded so we could know what perfect righteousness in human flesh looks like.

While the righteousness of God is unsearchable, we can know it includes obedience to his commands, an embodiment of the fruits of the Spirit and, above all, love. What a worthy and challenging pursuit Jesus laid out for our lives! It keeps us facing in the right direction, growing in our spirituality, emphasizing what really matters in life.

If we really let these two things be our first priority, we'll never get bored, never run out of things to strive for, and never be limited by our circumstances. First things first!