| “Therefore, with minds that are alert and fully sober, set your hope on the grace to be brought to you when Jesus Christ is revealed at his coming.” |
| —1 Peter 1:13 |
The concept of “mindset” swept an amazing wave of change through the personnel motivational scene beginning nearly 40 years ago. It’s more than a little amusing that these kind of trendy changes often become “in vogue,” even though they are based on common sense that has existed for centuries. After all, the Scripture states in the first part of Proverbs 23:7:
“For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he…”
Certainly, we all realize that the way we think about ourselves has a direct impact on the way we live. If I think of myself as a lazy, fat man whom nobody really likes, I will tend to live out my life trying to prove that self-image. Even when someone shows amazing affection toward me, grants me respect, or seems to not care about my weight at all, if I still retain that negative self-image, I will reject whatever good feelings someone may extend to me.
The same goes for our spiritual walk with the Lord Jesus Christ. While the word “holiness” is certainly not a word that most people, even Christians, would tend to embrace in our current culture, nevertheless that is exactly the pathway that all believers are on at this very moment. God calls us to become holy, even as He is holy (Leviticus 11:44-45). So, we are definitely on the pathway that leads to holiness, whether we particularly like that word “holy” or not.
What can we do to help keep ourselves in tune with the Holy Spirit, whose task it is to guide us along the pathway toward holiness? We can set our minds on holiness. Here’s the Apostle Peter giving instruction to the early churches, as recorded in 1 Peter 1:13:
Therefore, with minds that are alert and fully sober, set your hope on the grace to be brought to you when Jesus Christ is revealed at his coming.
If we set our minds on the hopeful realization of the fullness of God’s grace that we will receive when Jesus returns to earth, that can serve as a beacon along our pathway toward holiness. We need to keep alert for the leading of the Holy Spirit, and we need to keep ourselves sober—that is to say, “serious minded,” not caught up in frivolous living.
Of course that doesn’t mean we never laugh or have a good time. Many of the most “fun people” in my life are dedicated followers of Christ. They laugh and enjoy life in a way that few non-Christians can even imagine.
But, taking life seriously—including enjoying every moment of every day—helps keep us focused on the things that really matter; things that surpass time and reach out into eternity. So, as we begin this new day, let’s take to heart the concept that our “mindset” has great importance in determining our success as followers of the Great King Jesus. And, let’s set our minds on the hopeful outpouring of God’s grace into our lives each day that will help us become good stewards of all that He has given us, as well as good ambassadors for the cause of Christ and His Kingdom.
Based on a blog originally posted on Wednesday, March 29, 2017
