"Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things."
Colossians 3:2 (NIV):
Your mind will focus on something. It never just sits empty and quiet. When you are driving alone, your mind is thinking. When you are lying in bed at night, your mind is working. When you have five free minutes, your thoughts go somewhere. The question is not whether your mind will wander. The question is where it will go when it does.
Most people let their minds run on autopilot. They do not choose what to think about. They just think about whatever pops up. Worry about money. Replay that awkward conversation. Stress about tomorrow. Dream about what they wish they had. Their thought life is completely controlled by earthly things. And they wonder why they feel anxious, empty, and far from God.
Paul gives us a clear command in Colossians 3:2. "Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things." This is not a suggestion for super spiritual Christians. This is a command for every believer. The word "set" means to actively focus your mind. It means to aim your thoughts like you aim a camera. You have to choose where your mental lens points. Will you focus on things above or earthly things?
Here is what "things above" actually means. It is not vague spiritual thoughts or positive thinking. Things above means where Christ is, seated at God's right hand. It means Jesus and His kingdom. It means God's priorities, God's mission, God's values. It means thinking about eternity, not just today. When you reframe your mind to focus on things above, you see everything differently. Same life, different mental lens, everything changes.
Think about what dominates your thought life right now. When you have quiet moments, where does your mind go? Do you think about your problems more than God's promises? Do you replay your failures more than God's grace? Do you stress about earthly security more than you trust God's care? Your default thoughts reveal your real priorities. And if earthly things fill your mental space, you need to reframe.
Godseekers, reframing your mind is how you reframe your life. What you think about shapes what you care about. What you care about drives what you do. If your mind is set on earthly things, your life will chase earthly things. But if you set your mind on things above like Colossians 3:2 commands, your whole life follows. You start making decisions for eternity, not just comfort. You start seeing people as souls, not obstacles. You start finding peace in Christ, not circumstances. This is what it means to reframe your priorities.
Prayer
Heavenly Father, forgive me for letting earthly things fill my mind. I confess that I think about my problems more than Your power. I worry about tomorrow more than I trust You today. Help me obey Colossians 3:2 and set my mind on things above. Train my thoughts to go to You first, not my fears. Fill my mental space with Your truth, Your promises, and Your presence. Reframe my mind so I see everything through Your eyes. In Jesus' name, Amen.
Personal Reflection
- When your mind is free to wander, where does it actually go most often?
- What one earthly concern dominates your thought life that you need to replace with thinking about Christ?
Step of Faith
Today, I will set an alarm on my phone that says "Colossians 3:2," and when it goes off, I will stop and ask myself what I am thinking about right now.
