Stillness

How do we get the place where we can actually have the mind of Christ like it talks about in Phillipians 2? The answer to this, I think is stillness or quietness of our own mind. In Psalms 46:10 it says "Be still and know that I am God." How often are each of us really still with our body, much less in our mind? We need to take the time to examine each of our thoughts and bring them captive to the mind of Christ. Paul told us "and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ." (2 Cor. 10:5) How do I do this you may ask, well the scripture is clear again about how this is done. In Phillipians 4:8 we are told

"Summing it all up, friends, I'd say you'll do best by filling your minds and meditating on things true, noble, reputable, authentic, compelling, gracious—the best, not the worst; the beautiful, not the ugly; things to praise, not things to curse. Put into practice what you learned from me, what you heard and saw and realized. Do that, and God, who makes everything work together, will work you into his most excellent harmonies."

To be worked into God's most excellent harmonies! Wow is that not an awesome statement! I believe it is what each of us want out of life - to find our passion and the thing that God has placed us here on this earth for and let our life sing! We only do this by practicing ways to change our thoughts to these things, rather than being focused on the negative of life. To find this we must find the voice of God. Where do we find God's voice? Elijah found out how in I Kings 19: 11-12.

Then he was told, "Go, stand on the mountain at attention before God. God will pass by."
A hurricane wind ripped through the mountains and shattered the rocks before God, but God wasn't to be found in the wind; after the wind an earthquake, but God wasn't in the earthquake; and after the earthquake fire, but God wasn't in the fire; and after the fire a gentle and quiet whisper.

It has been said that the voice of God is silence. We must find a way to examine ourselves, listen to God's voice, and bring our thoughts captive so that we can have the mind of Christ. How often are you truly silent? How often to you truly challenge your thoughts? How often to you truly challenge your perception of life? If you change how you look at things, things change and you will be worked into God's most excellent harmonies! Find time for quietness today and listen to God in your thoughts!