Do you ever look back on your life and wonder, “What was I thinking when I made that stupid mistake???” Do mistakes of your past make you unsure of the future? Lately, I’ve been looking back at my life and realizing that the worst, most costly decisions I’ve ever made were—because I wasn’t close enough to God. I can see now—how God was trying to speak—but I wasn’t listening. It’s remarkable what a fool our pride can make of us! When I say “pride” I don’t mean strutting around like a peacock; nope, I’m just talking about my basic habit of living like I know what’s best. It is a basic lack of submission to God. Without His guidance, I am left to navigate my future based upon my short-sighted intelligence—whether it be my present circumstances, emotions, past mistakes, my desires, or—whatever I esteem my best source of information at the time.
The problem is that all of these things are constantly changing—especially my earthly desires—which are horribly unreliable!
Humanity has been in this boat since the Garden of Eden when Eve allowed satan to convince her she would be better off by eating the fruit God commanded her NOT to eat. Satan wove his half-truths and hooked her by saying:
“You will NOT surely die. For God knows that in the day you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be LIKE God, knowing good and evil.”
And what did Eve decide to do?
“[She] saw that the tree was good for food, that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree desirable to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate. She also gave to her husband with her, and he ate.”
Genesis 3:4-6
What was Eve basing her future upon? The lie that she would be better off WITHOUT God. If she could be “like God” then she wouldn’t need God. We are just like Eve. We can’t see the future disasters we create by making decisions as if we are “like God” instead of just living in obedience to God. Over a decade ago, I made decisions because they “felt right” even though they were directly opposed to God’s ways. I live in deepest regret over the disasters I created.
But thanks be to God, that He has so much grace and mercy towards His children!
When we are born again, we have the opportunity to have the “mind of Christ” and make much, much better decisions for the FUTURE! We have the opportunity to have the wisdom of God who lives outside of time. “Time” is merely a measurement of events. “Time” appears to have begun at creation. Since God created everything; HE is outside of time. While God “inhabits eternity” (Isaiah 57:15), He relates to His creation using “time.” To our human mind, these two truths seem to conflict, but we must remember what God says about His own mind:
“For My thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways My ways…For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways, and My thoughts than your thoughts.”
Isaiah 55:8-9
Our human mind has yet to grasp both the minute intricacies of the microscopic DNA chain and the whirling bright spiral galaxy known as MCG-01-24-014, which is located about 275 million light-years from Earth. So, how can we possibly expect to understand the mind Who created it all? And yet—God has given us the ability to have HIS mind! YES!!! Paul wrote to the Philippians
“Let this MIND be in your that was also in Christ Jesus.“
Philippians 2:5
We know from the context of this Scripture; Paul was talking to the church at Philippi about disunity. He was instructing them not to be selfish or prideful in their actions towards each other; but rather, to act in humility and consider the needs of others more important than themselves. (Philippians 2:3-4) Then, Paul gives them the remarkable command: “Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus” (2:5) Wow!
Can we actually tap into the vast mind of our Creator?
Yes! Paul went on to explain what the mind of Christ looks like. Christ, as Almighty God, willingly gave up His glory (Philippians 2:6) and humbled Himself to become a man and to die on a cross (2:7-8). Jesus gave 100% of Himself as the greatest expression of His love. He was the supreme example of love and humility. By His love and humility, He purchased the priceless redemption of humanity.
So, we learn if we want to tap into the vast mind of Christ—we must live in humble submission to Him.
The Bible teaches us that God RESISTS the proud and He draws NEAR to the humble? (1 Peter 5:5-6) When we choose to live in selflessness and humility—like Christ did—we draw close to God. In His presence, we are powerfully influenced by His remarkable wisdom!
There’s nothing better we can do for our FUTURE than to live in humility and love in the PRESENT, because—humility draws us into the mind of Christ—Who knows the FUTURE.
God’s plan to give us wisdom and strength is so brilliant—isn’t it? Humility makes us powerful!!! When it comes to the power of humility, God levels the playing field. Anyone with any level of intellectual capacity can have the mind of Christ because humility isn’t dependent upon intellect; nor does it require money or talent. A humble heart loves God more than anything or anyone else and loves others like Christ loves.
The best wisdom for a sure FUTURE is to live in love and humility in the PRESENT.
We would love to hear your thoughts about this devotional. Did God speak to you or challenge your daily walk with him? Or is there a topic that you would like Kimberly to cover or expound on? Please share with us in the comments below.
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14 Responses
To be one with God is to be in unity. To be one with the enemy is to be against God .
Amen!