Mind

When I remember You on my bed, I meditate on You in the night watches. Psalm 63:6

During the night, while one is lying in bed, is a time that one’s mind starts going nearly everywhere. For many people their mind begins to race, thinking about nearly everything and anything. Trying to remember what needs to be done the next day, what happened that day, how to solve various problems and much more. As a result, many people toss and turn and do not get much sleep over the anxiety that their mind is putting them through.

David states that when he is on his bed at night, he will meditate on God.

Nighttime or being alone is a time when a person is often able to begin to think about many different things. Along with the thinking about all the challenges in life, many will also allow their mind to wander into sinful thoughts and desires. One is alone and no one else can hear or see those thoughts, so they are allowed to go down paths of sinful thinking. Believers can easily be caught in this type of thinking also.

Instead of allowing the mind to travel down sinful thoughts, believers need to focus their hearts and minds upon God. Taking time to meditate on God will keep their mind in the right place. One can meditate on all the things God had done that day, think about who God is, think about His great love and mercy, think about the promises of God and much more.

Sinful thoughts will only bring about anxiety and fear, no sleep or rest. Putting one’s mind upon God, will bring about His peace and rest, greater than anything that sinful thoughts will ever bring. God should be at the forefront of one’s meditations in the night.

As you lay down at night, there are probably a million things that you could think about. Of all the things there are, the most important thing is to think about God, who He is and what He has done and is doing in your life. Meditate on those things are of eternal value and not the temporary things of this fallen world that only bring about trouble and pain and finally death. Remember what God has done for you and in you throughout that day and the previous days and sleep in His peace and rest.

Today I pray that you will know Jesus as your Lord and Savior; that you will remember what God has done for you; that you will think about God throughout your days and nights; and that you will rest in the peace of God.

Picture by Prottoy Hassan on Unsplash

Oh, let the wickedness of the wicked come to an end, but establish the just; for the righteous God tests the hearts and minds. Psalm 7:9

It is common for people to have to take various types of tests throughout their lifetimes. Testing begins in school and never completely comes to an end. Most often tests are taken to know how much a person knows about some given subject or ability to do some type of task. These can be done for work or for personal needs. Outside of medical reasons, most do not think about having a test for their heart or mind.

David asks God to bring the wicked to an end and to establish the just, because God tests the hearts and minds.

Although people must take tests on a fairly regular basis, most do not like to take them. People fear failing the tests and do not want to look bad.

One type of test that people often overlook is the test that God gives concerning the heart and mind. Allowing trials and troubles to arise in the life of a believer is the most common way for God to test one’s heart and mind. The purpose of these challenges in one’s life is to see where the heart and mind are focused.

The world has a heart and mind focused on self and the here and now, not God and His kingdom, nor eternity. Believers need to be focused on what God desires first in their lives.

During a time of a testing, it will be determined who or what the believer will run to first. It will also be determined how the believer will react to the situation–whether one will get angry and sin or praise God, trusting Him in the situation.

God will have times in which He will allow a time of testing in your life. There will be difficulties that will arise to see where you stand with God and His commands.

Do not allow yourself to fall into the ways of the world of selfishness and sin, but give God praise and lean upon Him for strength and direction through the testing. Keep your heart and mind focused on who God is, what God is doing and what God can do, rather than what you can do or what the enemy can do. Pass this test with flying colors.

Today I pray that you will know Jesus as your Lord and Savior; that you will trust God with all of your heart and mind; that you will pass all the tests God gives you; and that you have a heart and mind after God’s heart and mind.

Picture by Ronaldo de Oliveira under Unsplash