Letting Christ Rule Our Hearts
Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful.
Colossians 3:15
Psalm 119 is a devotional on the Word of God. It is has 22 divisions, each beginning with a different letter in the Hebrew alphabet. The psalmist asks, “How can a young person stay on the path of purity? By living according to your word. . . . I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you” (verses 9,11). Paul expands on this instruction in Colossians 3:15: “Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts.” “Rule” means “to act as a judge or arbiter.” How do we let the peace of Christ arbitrate in our hearts? By letting the Word of Christ dwell within us (see Colossians 3:16).
Let’s say you have stored a lot of filth in your mind and then one day you decide to clean up your mind. The battle gets worse the moment you make that decision. The battle isn’t very intense as long as you are just giving in to tempting thoughts. The start to the battle begins the moment you decide to resist tempting thoughts. So how do you win the battle for your mind?
Imagine your mind is a pot filled with coffee. Because you chose to mix coffee grounds with the water, the liquid is dark, dirty and opaque. There is no way you can filter out the coffee from the water. Now suppose there is a bowl of crystal-clear ice next to the pot. Each day, you take one ice cube and put it in the pot. At first you do not notice any difference, but as you add one cube per day, the liquid in the pot begins to clear up. If you keep adding ice day after day, there will come a time when you won’t be able to taste, smell or see the coffee in the pot. Although the coffee is still there, the ice has diluted it. This method will only work if you don’t also keep adding a scoop of coffee every day.
If we wish to rid our minds of filth, we must read and study the Word of God each day. Our minds are like computers—if we put garbage in, we will get garbage out. The process of renewing our mind often begins with one step forward and one step backward. We spend time in God’s Word during our devotions but then go back into the world for work and leisure, where we are mentally assaulted again. Learning to take every thought captive in obedience to Christ takes time and commitment, but it can be done. The next day we take two steps forward and one back, then three steps forward and one back. If we stay committed to the process, it will soon become 20, 30 and 40 steps forward and one back.
The Spirit of God will lead us into all truth if we choose that path, and He will convict us if we choose the wrong path. Make a commitment to be like the psalmist, who wrote, “I rejoice in following your statutes as one rejoices in great riches. I meditate on your precepts and consider your ways. I delight in your decrees; I will not neglect your word” (Psalm 119:14-16).
a few questions to ponder:
Why will the battle for our minds get worse the moment we make a decision to rid ourselves of thoughts not from God?
How can we begin to rid our minds of filth since there is no “delete” button?
Why is it important to not get discouraged as we begin the process of renewing our minds?
What is your worst mental obsession? How did it start?
What practical steps can you take so that the peace of Christ can rule in your heart?
Neil T. Anderson is the founder of Freedom in Christ Ministries. He began the ministry in 1989 and continues to spread the message of freedom to this day.