“You will keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on you.” (Isaiah 26:3). It’s one of the ways God teaches us how to keep our peace.
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 we would be kept in perfect and constant peace. Peace being; “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 focuses our thoughts on faith, hope and love.
When we hope like this, it is an activity of the mind that changes the structure of our brain in a positive and normal direction. That means we hope to change even where we haven’t been peaceful and have struggled with our thoughts and emotions. When we fix our minds on Jesus and His love and goodness, our actual brains change.”
It has been found that 12 minutes of daily focused prayer (which is 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 says it this way, “Finally, 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. 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, as a reminder of what God says about your life. Because He promises that “He will keep us in perfect peace when our minds are fixed on Him.”
Prayer: Lord, thank you that I can be in perfect peace when I fix my mind on you. Please help me take the time to learn and think more deeply about the promises in your word than I do about everything else going on around me. I receive and hold onto your peace today. In Jesus Name Amen.
“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)