Living in the In-Between - Devotion 4
Love God - Mind
“You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment.” Matthew 22:37-38
So much happens in our minds. Every single person has an ongoing conversation happening in their mind. You are reacting to the people, circumstances, events, and stimuli going on around you. Your mind is constantly processing everything it takes in. “Why did that person look at me that way? What is that car going to do? What did they mean when they said that? I can’t believe things are the way they are. I’m not good enough. No one loves me. I’m worth nothing. Things will always be this way.”
The Yates family loves to go to the movies. It is something that we do often as a family. The most recent movie that we went to see was a Disney movie, “Inside Out 2.” I have to say, I love this movie and the first one that was released in 2015. I will do my best not to give any spoilers here should you want to see the movie yourself, but the overall focus of the movie is the emotions and thoughts that are going on inside of a girl named Riley. The first movie is all about Riley at the age of 11 and everything she is going through. The emotions of joy, anger, sadness, fear, and disgust fill her mind. These come together to form Riley’s thoughts, decisions, and actions. “Inside Out 2” introduces us to new emotions now that Riley is the age of 13; one of these emotions is anxiety. You can imagine how the movie goes. (I could go on, but I do not want to give any spoilers! Suffice it to say, they did a great job.)
Anxiety is a kind of pandemic in our culture today. It affects so many people and is a crippling master for so many people. Children are being diagnosed with anxiety or depression at younger and younger ages. As we consider how to love God with all of our minds, we have to consider where we are currently. (I would also encourage you to refer back to week two and day three of the devotional on mental peace.)
Anxiety is something that I have struggled with in my life. It is a difficult thing to deal with. I have had moments where I was convinced I was having a heart attack and dying, and COVID did a number on me. I have been on and off medication over the years, and it is something that I continually have to combat in my life. Maybe you are reading this, and you totally identify.
Our thought life is a very real part of our lives. What you think about in every conversation, interaction, and circumstance determines how you will act. Stinkin’ thinkin’ results in stinkin’ doin’. Your mind needs to process what you see around you and make determinations about each thing it processes. Here is the thing: those determinations are not necessarily true just because you thought it!
“Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.” Philippians 4:8
Loving God with your mind is to submit what you are thinking about, mulling over, anxious about, struggling with, or dreading to the truth of God’s Word. When it comes to our mind and the struggle we have with negative, pervasive, sinful, lustful, and invasive thoughts, this is never a power encounter for the Jesus follower. This is a battle for truth. What does God really say about who you are? What does God really say about your future? What does God say will satisfy you? What does God say about the value of the person that is the object of your lust? What does God say about keeping your eyes on Him? Who has God made you through Jesus?
“For though we walk in the flesh, we are not waging war according to the flesh. For the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh but have divine power to destroy strongholds. We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ.” 2 Corinthians 10:3-5
You fight lies with TRUTH.
Love God with your mind by diving into the truth of God’s Word that He has given us so that we can be fully mature and complete. Love God with your mind by actually listening to the thoughts you have and asking God’s Spirit to show you what is truth. Take every thought and submit it in obedience to Christ; this is how you love God with all of your mind.
“If you love me, you will keep my commandments.” John 14:15