Pastor's Weekly Musing
Hey everyone!
The other day I was driving my son to Jr. High, about a 12-minute drive from our house. Around half-way there, I started to "zone out". My brain went from thought to thought, from one imaginary scenario to another, over and over. Before I knew it, I had missed the exit to the school, and was on my way to the church office.
My son finally said, "Uh, dad, where are we going?"
Ever done that? No doubt you have. There's been times while driving that I zone out for so long that I can't seem to recall the last 5 minutes of driving. It's kinda scary, actually.
Thank God for deeply capable brains, that are able to go into "auto-pilot mode" when our thoughts aren't actively engaged in what we're doing, when our minds are simply wandering. God knew if He didn't put that capability in us, we'd all wreck our cars.
Although "auto-pilot mode" thankfully keeps us alive, it can be a horrible way to live your everyday life. Mindlessly wandering through life causes us to "miss the exit", the same way I did with my son's school. But the exits we miss in life can be far more costly: in our marriage, our family, our health, even our walk with God.
We can't focus 100% of our attention all of the time, of course. We need rest, sleep, play, and fun, in order to re-charge our already overloaded and tired brains. But when we can, what SHOULD we focus on, as believers?
I'm glad you asked. Think about these three things:
1. Think about Jesus.
You've likely heard the saying, "You become what you think about most." If you want to become more like Jesus, fill your thoughts with him.
Hebrews 12:3 says, "Think about Jesus' example. He held on while wicked people were doing evil things to him. So do not get tired and stop trying." (NCV)
2. Think about others.
Philippians 2:4 says, "Don't look out only for your own interests, but take an interest in others, too." (NLT)
Do you realize how counter-cultural that is? Everything in the world teaches you to think about yourself and nobody else. But Jesus was counter-cultural, and when you think about Him, you'll more easily think of others.
3. Think about eternity.
"No eye has seen, no ear has heard, and no mind has imagined what God has prepared for those who love him." 1 Corinthians 2:9 NLT
When you start focusing on truths like that, all of your problems are going to seem inferior compared to the glory, the joy, and the pleasure of the things you have to look forward to in eternity.
Your mind is the battleground. Actively fill your mind with these things, especially when you feel yourself drifting into "auto-pilot mode". A disengaged mind is a vulnerable mind, but an intentionally focused mind can keep Jesus at the center of your life -- where He belongs!
Looking forward to seeing you all on the walkway!
Pastor Ronnie
The other day I was driving my son to Jr. High, about a 12-minute drive from our house. Around half-way there, I started to "zone out". My brain went from thought to thought, from one imaginary scenario to another, over and over. Before I knew it, I had missed the exit to the school, and was on my way to the church office.
My son finally said, "Uh, dad, where are we going?"
Ever done that? No doubt you have. There's been times while driving that I zone out for so long that I can't seem to recall the last 5 minutes of driving. It's kinda scary, actually.
Thank God for deeply capable brains, that are able to go into "auto-pilot mode" when our thoughts aren't actively engaged in what we're doing, when our minds are simply wandering. God knew if He didn't put that capability in us, we'd all wreck our cars.
Although "auto-pilot mode" thankfully keeps us alive, it can be a horrible way to live your everyday life. Mindlessly wandering through life causes us to "miss the exit", the same way I did with my son's school. But the exits we miss in life can be far more costly: in our marriage, our family, our health, even our walk with God.
We can't focus 100% of our attention all of the time, of course. We need rest, sleep, play, and fun, in order to re-charge our already overloaded and tired brains. But when we can, what SHOULD we focus on, as believers?
I'm glad you asked. Think about these three things:
1. Think about Jesus.
You've likely heard the saying, "You become what you think about most." If you want to become more like Jesus, fill your thoughts with him.
Hebrews 12:3 says, "Think about Jesus' example. He held on while wicked people were doing evil things to him. So do not get tired and stop trying." (NCV)
2. Think about others.
Philippians 2:4 says, "Don't look out only for your own interests, but take an interest in others, too." (NLT)
Do you realize how counter-cultural that is? Everything in the world teaches you to think about yourself and nobody else. But Jesus was counter-cultural, and when you think about Him, you'll more easily think of others.
3. Think about eternity.
"No eye has seen, no ear has heard, and no mind has imagined what God has prepared for those who love him." 1 Corinthians 2:9 NLT
When you start focusing on truths like that, all of your problems are going to seem inferior compared to the glory, the joy, and the pleasure of the things you have to look forward to in eternity.
Your mind is the battleground. Actively fill your mind with these things, especially when you feel yourself drifting into "auto-pilot mode". A disengaged mind is a vulnerable mind, but an intentionally focused mind can keep Jesus at the center of your life -- where He belongs!
Looking forward to seeing you all on the walkway!
Pastor Ronnie
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