Introduction

Church family, welcome. Some weeks feel like a whirlwind, don’t they? Schedules stack, screens shout, and our minds ping from worry to what’s next. And in the middle of the noise, God gives us a gracious, clear instruction: lift your thoughts. Aim higher than the headlines. Aim higher than your habits. Aim higher than your hurried heart.

Francis Chan once said, "Our greatest fear should not be of failure but of succeeding at things in life that don’t really matter." That lands close to home. It nudges us to ask: What has captured my attention? What has the steering wheel of my thoughts? If our minds are like thermostats that set the climate of our souls, where have we set the dial?

Friend, Jesus cares about your mind. He cares about what you think when your feet hit the floor in the morning, when you stand in line at the grocery store, when the house finally falls silent at night. Christ does not stand distant from your thoughts; He stands ready to shepherd them—steady them—sanctify them. The Lord who saved you also wants to shape how you think, because the way we think trains the way we feel, and the way we feel fuels the way we live. Thoughts become tracks; tracks become trails; trails become the terrain of our days.

So today, we are going to lift our eyes—and our minds—to where Christ is. We’ll listen for the gentle, insistent call to aim our attention heavenward. We’ll invite the Holy Spirit to make our thinking a theater where Christ’s presence plays on repeat. And we’ll ask practical questions: What am I feeding my mind? What am I fixing my gaze upon? What do my habits of thought say about my hope?

Here is our text, God’s strong word for weary minds:

Colossians 3:1–2 (ESV) "If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth."

You can almost hear the cadence of a holy invitation: Seek. Set. Christ is seated—secure, sovereign, steady. And because He is seated above, our thoughts don’t have to be scattered below. There is a firm place to fasten them. There is a faithful Savior to fix them upon. And as our attention rises, anxiety loosens. As our gaze centers on Jesus, our hearts find ballast. This is good news for the restless, the hurried, the hurting: You are not helpless in your thought life. In Christ, you have help, hope, and a holy pattern.

Imagine your mind as a house with windows. What light do you let in? What view fills the frame? When we open the shutters toward heaven—toward Christ, His Word, His promises—the room changes. The colors shift. The air freshens. Peace doesn’t have to be a stranger in your home. Joy doesn’t have to be an occasional guest. They can become frequent friends as your thoughts learn the way to Christ.

Before we open this text further and set our hearts to respond, let’s pray.

Opening Prayer: Father, we thank You for Jesus, seated at Your right hand—our Savior, our Shepherd, our steady King. Thank You for the gift of a renewed mind and the promise that we have been raised with Christ. Holy Spirit, captivate our attention. Clear the clutter from our thoughts. Lift our gaze to things above. Let the truth of Your Word become the tune our minds hum throughout the day. Guard our hearts with Your peace. Guide our steps with Your wisdom. Train our thinking to treasure Christ, and let that treasure shape our feelings and our obedience. Speak, Lord; we are listening. In the strong and tender name of Jesus we pray, Amen.

Christ Shapes the Life of the Mind

Paul begins with a fact. You have been raised with Christ. That is a real change, right now, in this life. When Jesus rose, He brought His people into that new life with Him. Your mind belongs to that new life. Your thoughts can breathe that new air. This is more than having new ideas. This is living from a new place. You think as someone joined to Jesus. Union with Him gives you a fresh center. A steady center. A holy center.

Think of how this shifts the way you wake up. You rise, and you remember that Christ is alive, and you are joined to Him. Say a simple line before your feet touch the floor. "Jesus, You are alive, and I am Yours. Shape my thinking today." That short prayer takes truth and puts it right at the front of the line. It signals to your brain and your heart that the day runs on resurrection power.

Union with Christ also brings a new desire. You begin to want what He wants. Desire directs attention. Attention directs thought. Thought directs action. When you sense old patterns pulling at you, you can answer with who you are in Him. "That may be familiar, but I belong to Christ. He gives me fresh desires." This is real grace. Christ is not only the model for your mind. He is the life within it.

This union also gives you confidence. You are not trying to fix your thoughts by sheer effort. You live inside the victory of Jesus. He welcomes your worried mind. He strengthens your tired mind. He renews your scattered mind. The risen Lord is present, and He is kind with you as you learn new patterns of thinking.

Directing the mind takes intention. Paul calls you to aim your thoughts. That takes choice. Real choice, many times a day. The mind is active, and it follows what you feed it and where you point it. So point it on purpose. Set small cues in your day. A verse on your phone lock screen. A pause before a meeting. A deep breath in the car with a whispered prayer. These little choices train bigger pathways.

Think in simple loops you can repeat. Morning: "Christ is above. I am with Him." Midday: "Lord, You see me. Give me wisdom." Evening: "Thank You for Your care today." Repetition is not empty. Repetition shapes. Over time those loops become strong. They make it easier to return your thoughts when they wander.

Give your attention good food. Read Scripture slowly. Read aloud if you can. Let a phrase stick. Carry it with you. Chew on it as you work or walk. Sing a simple song that is full of truth. Truth sung often sinks deep. It meets you in hard moments when you do not have many words. It steadies you in the middle of noise.

Be gentle with your limits. Minds get tired. Plans fall apart. The call is steady direction, not perfect performance. When you notice your thoughts have slipped into worry or comparison, do not scold yourself. Just turn again. Even a small turn counts. "Lord Jesus, lift my mind." That turn is an act of faith. Christ welcomes it.

Paul points to where Jesus is. He is at the right hand of God. That picture matters. It means authority. It means intercession. It means the work is complete, and the King is on the throne. Your thoughts do well when they rest there. Think often about who Jesus is right now. Think of His mercy, His wisdom, His strength, His patience. Let His present reign be the frame around your day.

This gives great calm. You face a hard decision, and you remember He rules wisely. You feel unseen, and you remember He intercedes for you. You meet a problem you cannot solve, and you remember He is strong and near. Your thoughts lean on Someone, not something. They lean on a Person who is faithful.

Use simple phrases that name His throne and His care. "You reign." "You see." "You are with me." "You are enough." Short lines like these are anchors. They keep your thinking from drifting far. They are easy to carry, even in pain or stress. Over time they form a steady reflex. Your first move becomes turning to the living Christ.

From that throne flows direction for daily life. You take His priorities into your work, your home, your neighborhood. You think through decisions with His character in view. Is this honest? Is this kind? Is this pure? Is this wise? His rule is not far away. It is the center of how you think on an ordinary Tuesday.

Paul calls us to set our minds on things above. That phrase is rich. It is not vague. It points to the things that belong to Christ and His kingdom. Think about His promises. Think about His commands. Think about His cross and empty tomb. Think about the fruit of the Spirit. Think about the new self that is being made new after His image. These are the things that belong to above.

That kind of thinking shapes how you handle temptation. When desire flares, you run a different script. You picture the beauty of Christ. You remember that you are being made like Him. You call to mind the goodness of purity, the joy of peace, the freedom of honesty, the strength of patience. You rehearse what is true and good, and your heart follows your thoughts.

This also shapes how you see people. Set your mind on the kindness of Jesus, and you start to notice needs. You see faces, not tasks. You remember that every person you meet bears God’s image. You look for ways to bless. You speak with grace. You forgive as the Lord has forgiven you. Thinking of things above produces a new reflex of love.

Scripture fills out this way of thinking. "Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly." Fill your mind with it. Teach it to yourself. Teach it to your kids and friends. Sing it. Share it. When the word lives in you, your mind has a home field. Temptations and lies have to play away games. Truth has the crowd on its side, and it cheers you on.

Thoughts Steer Emotions and Drive Obedience

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