The Secret to the Christian Life

It's not really a secret. It's rather obvious. But with the busyness of life, of the Christian life, it is often overlooked.

What do I mean by "busyness"? I mean:

• nursery work
• women's studies
• worship services
• children's musicals
• Christmas previews
• retreats
• small groups
• choir practice
• Sunday services
• counseling ministry
• men's breakfasts
• volleyball and basketball nights
• mother/daughter salad suppers
• teaching Sunday school
• youth activities

...and the list goes on and on. That's what I mean by "busyness." All of these things are good things, but they keep us very busy. And fitting each of these things, or half of these things, or a fourth of these things into your schedule is not the secret to the Christian life.

So here it is: "Set your mind on the things above, not on the things that are on the earth." (Colossians 3:2)

Hmmm....is it really that simple? What exactly does that verse mean?

As believers in Jesus Christ, and followers, we are instructed to set our minds on Him. Notice it doesn't merely say "set your eyes" but "set your MIND." Have you ever heard this before?

"You do what you do and your feel how you feel

because you THINK what you THINK."

What we set our minds on will affect our actions and our feelings. God wants us to set our minds on the things above - on Him, on eternity, on His Son. If our minds are set on Him, then we know what our goal is, what our focus should be and we will stay the course. Lot's wife did not set her mind on God, but turned back for one last glimpse and it ended her life. Peter took his eyes off Jesus and allowed his mind to be filled with fear because of the storm around him. That could have ended disastrously as well, but Jesus intervened, and Peter walked on water and lived to tell about it. When we take our eyes and our minds off God, life becomes difficult, uncertain and downright scary.

This week, as we start up our study again, we are going to be committing to memory this passage from Colossians. Ladies, there's a reason for it. It is the secret to the Christian life. As simple as it sounds, in all things, if we set our minds on God, our eyes, our hearts, our bodies, our lives will head in the right direction.

So, I have one final question: How do we set our minds on the things above?

Oh, fine...I'll answer my own question. You can't set your mind on something you know nothing about. Therefore, you have to KNOW GOD. If you want to fill your mind with Him, if you want Him to sit on the throne of your life, if you want Him to be the center of your attention, you have to get to know Him more, enlarge your view and understanding of God, spend time with Him.

He gave us a massive revelation of Himself so that we are without excuse...

So grab that revelation and start getting to know God better, and I'll see you in the morning!

Kristen