The Steadfast of Mind

 The longer I walk with the Lord the more I see the need to win the battles in the mind. I believe Satan attacks there most. He is constantly assaulting our thoughts planting toxic doubts, depression, and disillusionments there. He is relentless in those attacks. You could be having a great week, and then one thought along with dwelling on that thought could send you on a tail spin. Your faith cracks. Doubts creep in crowding out hope in the God who loves you. 

When those thoughts are accompanied by confusing circumstances, multiple why questions, and crushing crippling criticisms that God has failed and abandoned you it is easy to live with turbulent thoughts. None of those things are true, but the enemy can wreak havoc in the mind to make us believe they are. These are not one time skirmishes with the father of lies. They are ongoing battles. Where do we go for help?

A little verse in Is 26:3 may help. The steadfast of mind You will keep in perfect peace because he trusts in You. NASU  The word steadfast in this verse means the one who is supported and upheld. This does not mean through our own efforts we trudge ahead. It means we rest in God and are reminded God holds us no matter what we are going through. Sooner or later we all face things too difficult for us to bear. Things that are too heavy to carry, too painful to endure , too complicated to solve, and too massive to move. In those times, our steadfast mind must remember God is our support and help. 

The word keep means God will watch and guard us. Like a lifeguard at the beach watching ocean swimmers. He is always on the alert scanning for those who get in trouble. So is God watching us. He never sleeps. He never gets distracted. We need to remember this when the enemy sows toxic thoughts in us and our lives get topsy turvy. 

He keeps us in perfect peace. That means He keeps us in complete sound security. Why? Because we trust Him. We have confidence in Him. We keep our faith in Him. We believe He will always be there for us. No matter what we are facing. No matter how difficult life gets. The result of our trust is that God keeps us in perfect peace as we are steadfast in our minds. 

What does that mean? When life is chaotic and out of control, we can still rest in God in perfect safety and sanity of mind. When the crisis comes over and over again to the point we entertain the thought we can't take anymore, those who remember God supports us are able to reign in our wild runaway thoughts. When the tragedies come no matter how grievous, those who are steadfast in their mind have a firm foundation. When the storms blow so hard our thoughts begin to drift, the steadfast in mind find an anchor resulting in perfect peace. May the Lord strengthen and encourage troubled hearts with this word today.