Seek what is above.

(Colossians 3:1) 

If Paul ever needed a second job, he could have easily found a position writing technical manuals. He could be clear and concise when he needed to, and he never minced his words. Just as a manual tells you how to use an appliance or piece of software, Paul tells us how to take hold of the new life that Jesus has won for us. It’s as simple as ABC. Look to heaven, put off the “old self” and put on the “new self” (Colossians 3:9, 10). He even gives real-life examples of what the old self looks like so that we can identify it and deal with it—just like the illustrations in a user’s manual!

If Paul is so clear on this theory, why can we sometimes feel muddled in our attempts to put it into practice? We want to overcome our old lives, but we can’t seem to get very far.

One answer is that it takes time. We shouldn’t think that all our sinful habits will go away overnight. That’s why God has given us the gifts of Confession and the Eucharist. We need all the mercy we can get. We need the strength and grace that come from receiving Jesus in his Body and Blood. We should never discount the power of these gifts—or our need for them!

But there is another answer. Paul was clear because he had worked this out in his own life. His clarity didn’t come only from deep theological inquiry. It was also forged in the daily spiritual battle that he took up. Day after day, he strove to put off his old life of violence and pride. Day after day, he strove to put on the life of peace and humility that Jesus had won for him. Day after day, he strove to keep his eyes fixed on the Lord and his heavenly glory.

If we follow Paul’s lead and take up the battle ourselves, our lives will change—slowly but surely. We will begin to sense the Holy Spirit encouraging us and convincing us of God’s love. We will find ourselves reflecting it to the people around us.

So take your time, and keep seeking “what is above” (Colossians 3:1).

from wau.org

God's mindset

You are thinking . . . (Matthew 16:23)

Poor Peter! He had just confessed that Jesus was the “Messiah, the Son of the living God,” and Jesus had just congratulated him for his keen insight (Matthew 16:16). Surely Peter was elated. But just moments later, Jesus is rebuking him in the harshest terms for trying to keep him from the cross. “Get behind me, Satan,” he says. “You are thinking not as God does, but as human beings do” (16:23). Can you imagine how frustrated Peter must have felt?

What caused Jesus to change his tone so quickly? On both occasions, Peter had only good intentions. On both occasions, he was trying to do the right thing. What happened?

This story tells us that our minds can be influenced by God one moment and by the devil in the very next moment, and we may not be able to tell the difference. It tells us that we need to learn how to reason in faith, or how to think “as God does,” if we want to see our spiritual lives grow (Matthew 16:23).

Peter probably reflected on these two events. He must have asked, “Why did Jesus commend me here but rebuke me there?” He must have asked Jesus to help him. Over time, he learned more and more about the way God thinks. Over time, he became more able to understand God’s mind and to live a life that reflected God’s plan. How else could he have become one of the wisest and most devoted members of the early Church? 

Here is a good way to sharpen your ability to reason in faith. Every day, take one situation and ask, “Jesus, what would you do here?” This simple little prayer can open the door to God’s grace and change the way you think. Scripture promises that you can “be transformed by the renewal of your mind” (Romans 12:2). With time, patience, and practice, you can come to discern what is “good and pleasing and perfect” in every situation (12:2). 

“Lord, enlighten my mind. Teach me how to think as you think.”

from wau.org