A Peaceful Thought-Life - First15 - October 24
Weekly Overview:
One of the most powerful marks of a believer is transcendent peace. This world offers us no reason to be peaceful. It offers us no reason to be without stress, burdens, cares, and total frustration. But we serve a God who offers us peace in the midst of any circumstance. We serve a God in whom all true peace finds its source. May you discover the heart of your heavenly Father to bring you peace this week.
Scripture:“For to set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace.” Romans 8:6
Devotional:
Your thought-life can either be a place of peace and life or a source of immense internal struggle and despair. It’s our thoughts that the enemy tries to affect with half-truths and outright lies. It’s our thoughts that are the gateway to our emotions and actions. And it’s our thoughts our loving heavenly Father longs to influence, redeem, and renew that we might experience everlasting peace.
Isaiah 26:3 says, “You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you.” Do you long for perfect peace today? Do you long to keep your mind stayed on the inexpressible excellencies of Jesus? It all starts with trust. When we allow our minds to stray into worry, doubt, fear, reservation, and lies, it is because we don’t trust that God is who he says he is or that he will do what he says he’ll do.
If we truly trusted God with our relationships, we wouldn’t spend so much energy mulling over conversations that could have been better or different. If we truly trusted God as the perfect provider of our finances and possessions, we wouldn’t spend so much time overwhelming ourselves with all the different financial opportunities available, or not available, to us. If we truly trusted God with our futures, we wouldn’t devote so much of our minds to playing out every scenario that could possibly happen. And if we truly trusted God that we are loved, liked, enjoyable, and wholly found, we wouldn’t spend so much time thinking of ways we can impress others, work our way into a clique, make others laugh, or win the affections of another.
Romans 8:6 says, “For to set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace.” Where you set your mind today is your decision. The Spirit is fully available, ready and willing to lead you to abounding joy and peace. And the enemy is prowling like a lion seeking to devour your thoughts that they might breed emotional and even physical death (1 Peter 5:8).
There is a battle for your thoughts happening every moment. But greater is he who is in you than he who is in the world (1 John 4:4). God has a perfect plan to lead you away from thoughts that plague you into life and joy in the Holy Spirit. Trust him as your good and loving Father. Trust that he is always with you. Place your faith wholeheartedly in him because he is perfectly faithful and able. He has plans for an incredible hope and future for you if you will simply trust him and set your mind on him as often and as passionately as you can. May you find peace today in your thoughts through a powerful revelation of God’s abiding love.
Guided Prayer:
1. Meditate on the importance of placing your trust in God. Allow Scripture to stir up your desire to have a peaceful thought-life.
“You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you.” Isaiah 26:3
“Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.” Romans 12:2
“For to set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace.” Romans 8:6
2. What thoughts plague you the most? What thoughts steal the peace available to you through trusting God?
“If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth.” Colossians 3:1-2
3. Place your trust fully in God today for whatever specifically troubles you and receive the peace that comes from setting your mind on your good and loving heavenly Father.
“Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding.” Proverbs 3:5
“Delight yourself in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart. Commit your way to the Lord; trust in him, and he will act. He will bring forth your righteousness as the light, and your justice as the noonday.” Psalm 37:4-6
“The Lord is my strength and my shield; in him my heart trusts, and I am helped; my heart exults, and with my song I give thanks to him.” Psalm 28:7
Our thoughts truly are a powerful gauge of our level of trust. Thoughts don’t run themselves. We think the way we do for a reason. When we begin to take captive and evaluate our thoughts, we embark on an important process of renewing our minds. Take notice of the way you think today. Take notice of what troubles you and what brings you peace and joy. Open your heart and ask the Holy Spirit to help you renew your mind and place your trust in him that you might truly have peace. May your thoughts be marked by the nearness and love of Jesus.
Extended Reading: Psalm 37
Photo credit: ©GettyImages/BartekSzewczyk
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