A Battle of the Mind
Jordan McKinney
We have a battle that is being waged inside our own minds. This battle is the ongoing war between our sinful desires, often called our flesh, or our old selves, and the Spirit that now dwells with us. It is a daily battle that we all live with; every choice is a matter of which one we will let dominate our minds and our thoughts. It determines how we deal or don’t deal with temptations, how we choose to love our friends and enemies, whether we choose to forgive or not, and even if we will let ourselves and our faith become stagnant and unproductive. The battle of our faith is first waged inside our own minds. I have been finding myself going back to Paul’s letter to the Romans pretty often, and have really fallen in love with what he says in chapter 8 about our thought lives and our minds. Paul writes,
“Those who are dominated by the sinful nature think about sinful things, but those who are controlled by the Holy Spirit think about things that please the Spirit. So letting your sinful nature control your mind leads to death. But letting the Spirit control your mind leads to life and peace. For the sinful nature is always hostile to God. It never did obey God’s laws, and it never will. That’s why those who are still under the control of their sinful nature can never please God.” - Romans 8:5-8
I have found that the more I am becoming concerned with my own thought life the more I realize how wayward my thoughts have become. I often find that I can dwell on worrying, anxious, unloving, and just simply distracted thoughts. But as followers of Christ, we are called to be active in our thoughts and find a new way of thinking.
Romans 12:2:
“Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.”
Philippians 4:8:
“And now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing. Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise.”
For me the biggest struggle has been with an unproductive mind. I have been finding myself in an “escapist” mindset, wanting to jump into stories in video games, tv, or books. None of these things are bad in and of themselves, but I have been feeling convicted by the Spirit that it has become unhealthy for me. I am struggling and working on taking back my own thought life again; working on being present in the moment with my family, while I am at work, and even when I am in my own free time. I want a mind that is not governed just by what I am feeling like doing in the moment, but one that is fully submitted to God. I know I can have that life because Paul goes on to write,
“Therefore, dear brothers and sisters, you have no obligation to do what your sinful nature urges you to do. For if you live by its dictates, you will die. But if through the power of the Spirit you put to death the deeds of your sinful nature, you will live. For all who are led by the Spirit of God are children of God.” - Romans 8:12-14
Whatever you are facing right now, maybe take a look at your own thought life. See where your thoughts might be leading you down a path that isn’t where God wants to lead you. Find a way to submit your life, including your thoughts, to the Spirit and see Him transform the way you think and live.