You will keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on You, because he trusts in You. —Isaiah 26:3
Is your mind stayed on God or is it starved? Starvation of the mind, caused by neglect, is one of the chief sources of exhaustion and weakness in a one’s life.
Surrendering our whole lives to God is terrifying if we don’t really believe God is all powerful and wants the best for us—even when what’s best is painful. So instead, we interact with him in a guarded manner, not being honest about how we really feel.
But the truth is, God is nothing less than our loving father who delights in us, wants to spend time with us and wants the best for us. He sent His only son to die for our sins not to simply give us a clean start, but so that we can be with Him and draw near to Him.
You must turn your thoughts and your eyes away from the face of idols and look to Him and be saved (see Isaiah 45:22).
Your mind is the greatest gift God has given you and it ought to be devoted entirely to Him. You should seek to be “bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ…” (2 Corinthians 10:5). This will be one of the greatest assets of your faith when a time of trial comes, because then your faith and the Spirit of God will work together.
When you have thoughts and ideas that are worthy of credit to God, learn to compare and associate them with all that happens in nature— the rising and the setting of the sun, the shining of the moon and the stars, and the changing of the seasons.
You will begin to see that your thoughts are from God as well, and your mind will no longer be at the mercy of your impulsive thinking, but will always be used in service to God.
Don’t say to yourself, “But God is not talking to me right now.” He ought to be.
Remember whose you are and whom you serve. Encourage yourself to remember, and your affection for God will increase tenfold. Your mind will no longer be starved, but will be quick and enthusiastic, and your hope will be inexpressibly bright.
By Oswald Nickson. (Courtesy Photo)
