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Saturday, Jan 13 - Surrendering Your Mind (Thoughts)
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DEVOTIONAL: “SURRENDERING YOUR MIND (THOUGHTS)”
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When I read about the brain, I find there is some agreement in the scientific community that it is primarily a connection machine. If that is the case, how can I be responsible for my mind racing... or wondering... or daydreaming... or entertaining a thought I ought not have? Or worse, if it is just an organ, like my heart or liver, how do I “surrender” it? Organs just do what they do, right?
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When I consider God’s Ways, I think of how: how do I submit an organ in my body to Him? To answer that, let’s consider what God instructs His people to do in Scripture:
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We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ. (2 Corinthians 10:5)
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Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. (Philippians 4:8)
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These two verses give us a way forward concerning our thoughts, listing mental actions. But if they are actions, they can be directed, refined, and subjugated. Just as muscles can be trained to build “muscle memory,” your brain can be trained to surrender your thoughts fully to God. This is why God tells us in Romans…
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“Do not conform to the pattern of this world but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.” (Romans 12:2)
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God can renew your mind for a purpose! Its proper use is for your thoughts to be directed to Him, refined for His purposes, and subjected to His will. This is good and right and true: thoughts brought into submission through His Way.
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To close, I want to reflect on what happens when we do not walk this straight and narrow mental path. Consider what happens when God takes His Hand off of a person’s life and lets go of their mind:
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Furthermore, just as they did not think it worthwhile to retain the knowledge of God, so God gave them over to a depraved mind, so that they do what ought not to be done. (Romans 1:28)
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Father, I pray that You would help me to mentally hold fast to your Ways. I desire, God, to please you in thought, word, and deed. Please help my mind to rest on You and work for You. Fill me, Lord, day and night, in all my coming and going. In Jesus name, Amen.
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