Mindset

Blessed are those whose strength is in you, who have set their hearts on pilgrimage. Psalm 84:5

At the time of writing this I am trying to decide whether or not to embark upon a course of study which could take 2 years or more to complete. The difficulty for me is knowing whether or not I will be serious enough about it to complete the course. In other words, I am counting the cost and weighing things up before I am willing to commit. Jesus said a wise man will consider whether or not he has the means to complete a building before he begins to build (Luke 14:28-30).

The verse we are considering today refers to those who set their minds on a pilgrimage to Jerusalem as they used to do in Old Testament days. For believers today it is the equivalent of setting our minds to follow Christ. We should not enter lightly into this journey. The Bible warns us that it is costly to follow our Lord. We have to literally give up our old ways to follow the new and better way.

The most difficult part of taking any course of action is first to make the decision to do it. Whether it be diet, study, marriage or lifestyle changes, it is easier once the decision to ‘just do it’ is made. For us Christians we have an advantage in that once we have decided to followed Jesus, we have the Holy Spirit as our Helper to strengthen us along the way…. God’s grace to help us. Look again at this verse….blessed are those whose strength is in you… Isn’t that great! God calls us into this life but then he gives us the strength to make the journey.

In making other decisions in life Christians also have the added blessing of being able to consult with the One who sees the end from the beginning – our God. He invites us in many verses of scripture to seek His wisdom. The book of Proverbs gives much wisdom for life; it begins like this – “The proverbs of Solomon son of David, king of Israel: for attaining wisdom and discipline; for understanding words of insight; for acquiring a disciplined and prudent life, doing what is right and just and fair;”.

God is interested in the whole of our life, not just our Christian life. Yes, our mindset needs to be to follow Him but that is to cover every aspect of our lives. We don’t need to be afraid of what He may show us or the way He might take us. Jesus came that we might have abundant life (John 10:10), that means life in all its fullness. He wants the best for us, his children.

Prayer: Heavenly Father, please help me to have my mind set on following you with my whole heart. Please strengthen me and teach me your ways. Amen.