This morning’s conversation with my hubby included many tidbits and tangents and I finally said, “I’m sorry! I’m just a big mind spiral!” I realize how distracted and flitty my thinking is this morning as things dart in and out of my mind-path. Things coming up, things to do, things I’d rather do… All in my semi-trapped version of myself as I recover from surgery and get tired in about two entire minutes. Why is it sometimes so difficult to concentrate and carry an idea to completion?
We were talking about Mark 8:31-38, which can be a tough passage. (Our church is doing a group reading of the Gospel of Mark throughout Lent.) The part I cannot get past is verse 33b. Jesus said to Peter, “…you are not setting your mind on the things of God, but on the things of man.” The NLT translation puts it this way, “You are seeing things merely from a human point of view, not from God’s.”
But Peter IS human. I AM human.
And my mind spirals.
Oh, how I wish I had God’s point of view.
φρονέω (phroneo)
*to direct one’s mind to
*to seek, to strive for
*to be of the same party and side with
*to be of same mind, cherish same views, be harmonious
(also – to have a modest opinion of self)
This is the Greek word translated as “setting your mind.”
In Hebrews 3:1, we read, “…fix your thoughts on Jesus.” (NIV) And the NLT says it this way, “think carefully about this Jesus.”
The word for “fix/think carefully” is κατανοέω (katanoeo)
*to consider attentively
*fix one’s eyes or mind upon
*(perceive, observe, understand)
I guess it all comes down to time. (I cannot fix my mind on someone I don’t spend time with.) What I spend my time thinking about is what fills the spaces and cracks. What fills my mind is what oozes out my mouth and actions.
Maybe mind spirals aren’t always a bad thing. If my heart is intentionally tuned in to Jesus and my mind is fixed on Him, then the spirals might leak out good things. That is what I hope.
I’m still very human. We all are. But we have Someone to fix our heart and eyes and mind on who will help us along the way. And He gently reminds us to return our thoughts to Him, if we will listen.
May your mind spirals be gently guided by the One who loves you.