“Set your mind on the things that are above, not on the things that are on the earth.”

Paul is speaking plainly about our Christian life and thought processes. The godly mind is centred on Christ and the issues pertaining to God, not consumed by earthly considerations. Even as we consider our temporal lives they are viewed and planned with the will of God in sight. Those who know the Lord their God will make good judgments and their plans will be in line with what God would have in mind for His child. The better we know the Lord, the more glorifying to Him our judgments and choices will be. Our outlook on events and circumstances will be God-orientated and not just about what suits us or the people around us. God works in the lives of His people for the good of others and we live out our lives as salt and light to a decaying and darkening world. 

If this is to be our lot, we must have a mind like Christ and a heart like His heart. To foster the thought processes of the Word of God and to have desires that God has, is a godly way to live. Our thoughts and deeds will not be centred around the considerations of this present world, but will be for eternal aims. 

The pursuit of the godly mindset is to think of the things above. We put God first in our lives and the way of righteousness, and not our own way. Then all the temporal needs and blessing will follow from His gracious provision.

“Therefore don’t be anxious, saying, ‘What will we eat?’, ‘What will we drink?’ or, ‘With what will we be clothed?’ For the Gentiles seek after all these things; for your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. But seek first God’s Kingdom, and his righteousness; and all these things will be given to you as well.”

Matthew 6:31-33

To seek the spiritual and the heavenly, is not only God honouring, but is the remedy for all worry and fretting. When our mind priorities are right, then all our needs follow on from that, for the Lord will honour those who honour Him. 

“Therefore the LORD, the God of Israel, says, ‘I said indeed that your house, and the house of your father, should walk before me forever.’ But now the LORD says, ‘Be it far from me; for those who honor me I will honor, and those who despise me shall be lightly esteemed.”

1 Samuel 2:30

Here in this verse from the Old Testament, we have the alternative condition. If our mind and heart do not follow the purposes of God, we will suffer great loss. Those who are careless and remiss about their spiritual life and therefore unmindful toward the things of God will not be blessed. They will suffer the loss of the temporal blessings and lose the joy of the spiritual. 

Beloved, let us watch our thought processes and stay close to the shepherd of our souls. We can live without anything, but not His gracious presence. Let us be soaked in the Word of God and obedient to His commands, thinking of all righteousness and peace.