The Mind of Christ

There is a gift already available to us that we sometimes miss!  There is a way of steadiness that can make a path through noise and confusion.  These past months and years have been filled with complicated, confusing issues that can lead us to feelings of anxiety, depression, and hopelessness.  There are so many voices constantly speaking, and there are serious issues that can tug at us from all sides.  The temptation is to try to figure out the world’s problems on our own, rather than to look for God’s leading to help us think well.

That gift that’s available to us?  The mind of Christ.  Paul wrote about powerful wisdom that can only come from God:  “Yet we do speak wisdom among those who are mature; a wisdom, however, not of this age nor of the rulers of this age, who are passing away; but we speak God’s wisdom in a mystery, the hidden wisdom which God predestined before the ages to our glory; the wisdom which none of the rulers of this age has understood; for it they had understood it they would not have crucified the Lord of glory; but just as it is written, ‘Things which eye has not seen and ear has not heard, and which have not entered the heart of man, all that God has prepared for those who love Him.’  For to us God revealed them through the Spirit; for the Spirit searches all things, even the depths of God.  For who among men know the thoughts of a man except the spirit of the man in him?  Even so, the thoughts of God no one knows except the Spirit of God.

Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, so that we may know the things freely given to us by God, which things we also speak, not in words taught by human wisdom, but in those taught by the Spirit, combining spiritual thoughts with spiritual words.  But a natural man does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually appraised.  But he who is spiritual appraises all things, yet he himself is appraised by no one.  For who has known the mind of the Lord, that he will instruct Him?  But we have the mind of Christ.”  (1 Corinthians 2:6-16)

So in reality, when our minds are swirling, when we don’t know who to believe, when we pick up offenses, anger, and accusation, we have a place to go.  If we ask God to stir up the mind of Christ in us, we are led to the Word, Jesus Himself, and the leading of the Spirit of God.  The Word and the Spirit always point to Christ and His infinite wisdom.  What is often convicting, is that He tells us to either work toward better things with Godly behavior, or He tells us to keep our eyes on Him and to watch Him work wonders.  And as always, He tells us to pray for His kingdom to come amidst the trials and chaos.  He tells us to be about the Father’s business, whatever He has asked you to do that brings life in this world.  As we follow Him, He will equip us for every good work.  (2 Timothy 3:17)

The wisdom of God that comes from the mind of Christ can keep us from being deceived by lies and foolishness.  In fact, God impressed upon me to write about the mind of Christ to remind people that we can get very gullible when we get wrapped up in blind group thinking and mob behavior of any kind.  We give up our connection to the mind of Christ and we are easily deceived.  What can happen is that we mistake other things for spirituality and connection with God.  It is His strong, fervent desire that His people not fall into any traps:  “For false christs and prophets will arise and will provide great signs and wonders, so as to mislead, if possible, event the elect.”  (Matthew 24:24)

I encourage you to follow Paul’s words:  “We are destroying sophisticated arguments and every proud thing that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we are taking every thought captive to the obedience of Christ.  (2 Corinthians 10:5)  Filter what you hear.  Take your time.  Ask the Lord how to see and perceive each situation.  Discern.  Read the Word.  Listen to the leading of the Spirit.  Live in the peace that comes from trusting God.  We can all do this because we have already been given the mind of Christ.