Mind of Christ

I want to have the mind of Christ.

Sometimes I get consumed wanting the actions of Christ. I want my outsides-- my exterior-- to closely align with Christ. I want my words to be edifying. I want my smile and hugs to bring joy to the people who surround me. I want to strive for excellence. I want to say the right things at the right times. I want to be composed and seem to perfectly balance my life. I want to have the right answers to tough questions. I want to be inviting and welcoming to strangers. I want my life to look like Christ's.

But more than that... more than my words and more than my actions...

I want the mind of Christ.

My actions are so deceptive... I can be so fickle. I can be grumpy just because I didn't get enough sleep. Or maybe I got enough sleep, but it wasn't good sleep. I can smile and be friendly because I'm lonely and want to fill a social need in me. I can be encouraging because I want to come across as loving; I want "them" to say, "She's so nice." I hate it. I've been told that actions simply reflect someone's heart... someone's mind. And sometimes I agree with that, and sometimes, I just don't. Sure, sooner or later, your heart will come out in your actions, but it's so easy to fake it for so long. My motivations can be so hidden from others... and at times, even from myself. I can, through discipline, change my actions for all practical purposes. I can be doing all the right things but my thoughts and heart can be so far from what I'm doing.

And so, I want the mind of Christ.

I want the deepest part of me... my mind... that secret and intimate place where I process everything... I want that place to reflect Christ. I want that place that is free from constant scrutiny to still show Jesus. Oh, that the place where I take in and process the world be a place that is pure. May my thoughts smell like Jesus... a pleasing aroma. When I make judgements about the people and places around me, may my logic be pleasing to him. When I'm laying awake at night, trying to fall asleep, would my thoughts wander... and would they wander into places that still bring glory to Him.

If we can grant Christ victory in the battlefield of our minds, then our actions follow suit. They genuinely follow. If I can learn, by grace, how to take every thought captive, then Christ has gained a significant victory over sin in my life.

Lately, I've been noticing that my words don't align with my thoughts... and that my thoughts are not Christ's. And I hate it so much. I tried to ignore it for a while, but I could tell that everything was being affected. My prayer life. My attitude. My optimism. My love for others. I couldn't ignore the fact that my mind is a critical battlefield... and lately, I've been feeling on the losing side.

And so, in the depth of my quiet times a new prayer arises.

I want your thoughts. I want the mind of Christ.