Shame on my thoughts, how they stray from me!
During the Psalms, they wander on a path that is not right; they run, they distract…
One moment they follow the ways of loveliness, and the next the ways of riotous shame...
Swiftly they leap in one bound from earth to heaven...
O beloved Christ...may the grace of the sevenfold Spirit come to keep them in check!
Rule this heart of mine, O swift God of the elements, that You may be my love, and I may do Your will!

  - Anonymous, On the Flightiness of Thought, Irish, 8th-9th century[1]

If then you were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God. Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth.

  - Colossians 3.1, 2

The thought life can be like a dodge ball game, where we’re the only person on our side of the line, and the world is arrayed against us, lobbing and hurling all manner of opinions, notions, ideas, things to do, and fleeting images against our brains. We glimpse most of these only for a moment, then duck away, only to be assaulted by the next barrage.

For many of us, concentrating can be difficult—at prayer, when reading, in church, during conversations, even at work. Setting our minds with focus and concentration on daily matters is hard enough; focusing on unseen things, well, we agree it’s important, but many of us don’t have a clue how to practice this aspect of faith, which is the assurance of things hoped for and the evidence of things unseen (Heb. 11.1).

Three things are required for setting our minds on Christ. First, growing clarity concerning the landscape of unseen things (which we gain from Scripture). The Bible offers plenty of vivid images and descriptions to shape our thinking about unseen things. By meditating on that landscape, we will find that our minds return there with greater frequency, wonder, and peace. The unseen world is not merely a there and then place. We can realize its beauty, righteousness, peace, and joy in our here and now by meditating on the teaching of Scripture concerning this realm.

Second, we can learn to live our lives from the heavenly vantage point. We have been seated with Christ in heavenly places (Eph. 2.6). Our lives are hidden with Christ in God (Col. 3.3). As we look out on the day ahead—our work, the people we expect to encounter, the things left over from yesterday—we can learn to see these things from that heavenly and eternal perspective. Each moment and activity of our lives unfolds our Kingdom-and-glory calling from the Lord (1 Thess. 2.12). We can realize more of the presence, promise, and power of that Kingdom and glory as we learn to see our lives as Jesus does.

Finally, devote the effort necessary for training your mind to focus on and conform to the things that are above (2 Cor. 3.12-18). Gaining a vision of unseen things doesn’t just happen; only if we apply ourselves to this discipline daily through reading, meditation, prayer, and talking with other believers, can we expect to reap its benefits. We may find such training tedious, but if we persevere in it, the tedium will gradually be replaced by joy and transformation.

The imperative verb “set” implies a choice: we are commanded to do this, so we can either submit and obey, working to set our minds on things that are above, or we can continue in our undisciplined, earthly way of thinking. The Spirit can help us keep our wandering, unfocused minds in check, but we need time with Him for this to become a reality.

Our lives, Paul says, have been hidden with Christ in God. Why should we allow our minds to languish amid the flotsam and jetsam of the sinking ship of mundane life when we can see life from the vantage point of Jesus and through His eyes?

Today would be a good day to begin nurturing a truly Biblical mindset toward all of life. Start by determining to gain a clear and compelling vision of the unseen realm from reading and meditating on God’s Word. Then work hard each day to practice that vision and to live your life from within it.

Your mind is not your own (1 Cor. 6.19), but you are the steward of its focus. Where will you set it today?

For Reflection
1. How often do you set your mind on the things that are above?

2. What benefit do you gain from doing so?

Psalm 93.1, 2 (Trinity: Come, Thou Almighty King)
The Lord in majesty reigns, girded and clothed in strength!
Earth stands secure: Nor shall it e’er be moved;
God on His throne above set it in place with love—
His reign is sure!

Give thanks
If you have found this meditation helpful, take a moment and give thanks to God. Then share what you learned with a friend. This is how the grace of God spreads (2 Cor. 4.15).

Resources for setting your mind
Three resources are available from The Fellowship of Ailbe to help you set your mind on the things that are above. You can download the four installments in our ReVision study, “We Would See Jesus”, by clicking here. Our book, Vantage Point, can help you learn to see your life as Jesus does, from the perspective of our heavenly calling. Order your copy by clicking here. Finally, our workbook, The Landscape of Unseen Things, offers 24 brief Biblical studies surveying the unseen realm. Order your copy by clicking here.

Thank you.
Many of you are faithful and generous in praying for and supporting Crosfigell and The Fellowship of Ailbe. Thank you. May I encourage all our readers to seek the Lord about becoming a supporter of The Fellowship of Ailbe? It’s easy to give to The Fellowship of Ailbe, and all gifts are, of course, tax-deductible. You can click here to donate online through credit card or PayPal or Anedot, or send your gift to The Fellowship of Ailbe, P. O. Box 8213, Essex, VT 05451.

T. M. Moore, Principal
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All Psalms for singing from The Ailbe Psalter. Scripture taken from the New King James Version. © Copyright 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

[1] Davies, pp. 262, 263.