The Flavor of Your Mind

What consumes your thought life? Where do you find yourself spending time - thinking, dreaming, worrying or navigating life?

I enjoy cooking on the grill. If you're like me, you like to try new techniques and styles to achieve certain flavors. One common technique is a marinade. Whether a simple Italian dressing, Soy Sauce, my favorite Costa Rican Salsa, or a secret blend or recipe, we all have things we have tried. We take whatever meat we plan to cook and we marinate that meat, usually for hours or perhaps, even overnight.

During a recent stroll through a grocery store, I was amazed to see the shelves loaded with different types of marinade. From liquids to dry rubs, even injectables, there are many different preparation techniques and flavors. Why do we do this? Because we are trying to change the flavor to a desirable outcome. We want the meat to “take on the flavor” of the marinade.

Paul gives us the same picture about life in Philippians Chapter 4. Throughout his letter to the church in Phillipi, Paul makes several references to his readers that relate to and emphasize issues of the mind, thinking, considering, attitude and interests. In 4:8, Paul tells us that our mind is to; “dwell on these things”. As I read the text, I get the picture that he is literally saying that we need to marinate our mind on the things of God.

As we learn to let our mind dwell on the things of Christ and begin to absorb His truth, He (Christ) begins to transform us because Paul’s very next statement is telling us to “Do”. Continuing on in verse 9, Paul connects dwelling with doing. He says; “Do what you have learned and received and heard and seen...”

So, as we dwell, we do. As we learn to dwell on spiritual things, we act in accordance with what we are learning. The result of dwelling and doing is peace with God. Do you want to have the peace of God? Then “dwell” on the word of God and “do” what He is telling you.

So what do you dwell on? Where do you find your mind wandering on a regular basis? Does your mind chase after your own personal desires, dreams, wants or worry? Do you find yourself regularly thinking on the things of God, His will and His purpose for your life and His kingdom?

The more we learn to dwell on the things of God and begin to absorb His word into our mind and our heart; our life begins to reflect His nature and His character. We begin to take on His flavor and in doing so; we become obedient; useful for the kingdom of God, for His purpose in us through the presence of His spirit.