Our minds are powerful, and what we think about affects us more than most understand. “75-98% of mental, physical and behavioural illnesses come from toxic thinking” (Dr Carolyn Leaf).
Therefore it makes sense that a loving God, who cares infinitely about every detail of our lives, would want us to keep our minds fixed on Him so that our whole being would be kept in perfect and constant Peace. The Bible has a promise that “God will keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on you.” (Isaiah 26:3). Peace is; “a freedom from disturbance and having quiet, tranquillity, and rest.”
When we fix our minds on God, we choose to fix our thoughts on His goodness, what He says, who He is, and His promises. He wants us to have hope for the day, and He knows that fixing our thoughts on Him, which is fixing our thoughts on faith, hope and love, will cause health and wholeness.
When we begin to live in hope like God promises we can when we have a relationship with Him, medical science has discovered that activity of the mind changes the structure of our brain in a positive and healthy direction.
That means there is hope for us to change even where we haven’t been peaceful and may have struggled with our thoughts and emotions. Our brains change when we fix our minds on Jesus and His love and goodness.
”It has been found that 12 minutes of daily focused prayer (simply talking and listening to God), over eight weeks, can change the brain to such an extent it can be measured on a brain scan.”
The Bible gives us some helpful guidelines on what to think. God’s Word teaches us to think upon, “whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things..and the God of peace will be with you.” (Philippians 4: 8-9)
Today check what you have been fixing your mind on. Is it thoughts of hope, or is it thoughts of fear and disaster? If you have been struggling, take time throughout the day with Jesus, read His words in the Bible, download them onto your phone, put a favourite verse on your screen saver, pin-board or wherever you will see it to remind yourself of what Jesus says about your life. Because He promises that “He will keep us in perfect peace when our minds are fixed on Him.”
Jesus said, “I am leaving you with a gift–peace of mind and heart. And the peace I give is a gift the world cannot give. So don’t be troubled or afraid.” (John 14:27)
Prayer: Lord, thank you for being in perfect Peace when I fix my mind on you. Help me take the time to learn and think more deeply about the promises in your Word and what you say about my life and future than I do about everything else around me. I receive and hold onto your Peace today in Jesus Name, Amen.