Mindfulness (as taught by Therapists) and Having the “Mind in Christ" (Romans): Same?
There’s a lot of talk today in secular therapy circles about the concept of “mindfulness” and so I would like to write about what I see is the difference between this concept: mindfulness (taught often in secular therapy) and the idea of having our mind “in Christ”. If you ask, the secular (or even a Christian) therapist will possibly tell you the concept of mindfulness comes from an eastern meditative practice where you are instructed to focus on the “here-and-now “ and not allow your mind to drift into thinking about things past or future. This practical idea is not a bad thing from a Christian perspective; clearly Jesus is explaining in the New Testament book of Matthew chapters four through eight about concepts that have to do with not worrying and thinking about things that have not yet been and about not dwelling on past hurts or offenses. I think it’s fair to say that Jesus wants us to live in the present: here and now; which are concepts that are taught as part of teaching mindfulness. But the BIG issue is HOW you are able to do such things as keeping your mind on things that are good and healthy and in the here-and-now?
So what’s the problem here with the idea of mindfulness vs. having our minds in Christ?
Let’s look at the next concept: having our minds “in Christ Jesus”. The big new insert into this discussion here is that: we as Christians, have some One that empowers us to keep our minds focused here in the present on things that are “above and not below” (Colossians 3:2). In our own strength and effort we may be able to try to focus ourselves in the here and now, but all this will give us is an unhealthy confidence in our own abilities (or carnal confidence or pride, in the negative sense of the word). Whether we like to think about this are not, I will argue that that is a carnal confidence or ungodly pride. Romans 8:6 – 7 indicates that anything that I do apart from surrender to my Redeemer the Lord Jesus Christ is carnality and leads to destruction and devastation.
As a Christian, focusing myself and my own strength on the present (and not the past or the future) without relying on Jesus as my strength, as my counsel, as my whole: fully as my all in all, can be seen as carnality and is immoral. Do you understand? Just because I’m focusing on the present doesn’t mean I’m doing it “in Christ” and through His Grace/Strength. And if I’m not doing it “in Christ” then I will argue I am not living the Life that God has for me in His Kingdom: in Him. I can be going through the steps of living the Christian life in all sorts of ways without being surrendered to God, This is often how God challenges and corrects us, by helping us to realize that what we’re doing was apart from Him and His strength and help, even if it just means staying “in the present” in our minds. We often feel the “pain” of this kind of carnal living because of it’s “natural” consequences or how this living “deadens” or hearts or spirits.
Having our minds firmly set upon Jesus Christ is a discipline that goes far beyond the idea of mindfulness. In Christ, by surrendering to Jesus and learning to live and move and have our being in Him we’re focusing on the essential experience of being in the Kingdom of God. Some call this: “Living in the River” as opposed to living out on the “muddy banks”. The first is being in Christ, the second is being in the flesh. One leads to a life that is fulfilling here on earth (despite the pain and sacrifice that “living in Love” will needfully involve) by the power of the Spirit of Christ and all the joy and satisfaction that comes from that – and the other which brings upon us the consequences are living in direct opposition to God: or carnally. “...[T]he mind governed by the Spirit is life and peace...” Romans 8:6
This Spirit of Christ raised our Lord Jesus Christ from the dead and the same Holy Spirit can raise us from the deadness of carnal thinking and behaving. This is a far cry from just being “mindful” - which is all the 3-dimensioned World, apart for Jesus can offer us. Which is some help, granted - but does it lead the Seeker where they need to be? You can enter into that Spiritual dimension of Christ’s invisible Kingdom here on earth, for the FIRST time by believing in what Jesus Christ did for us all by sacrificing His life for pay the universal cost of our and Humanity’s wrong doing or breaking of God’s Love Laws. Or you can stay (as a Believer in Jesus) in the “River” by continuing to remain in surrender to our Lord and Redeemer: Jesus.
Let’s all get in the River! The Water is FINE!
There’s a lot of talk today in secular therapy circles about the concept of “mindfulness” and so I would like to write about what I see is the difference between this concept: mindfulness (taught often in secular therapy) and the idea of having our mind “in Christ”. If you ask, the secular (or even a Christian) therapist will possibly tell you the concept of mindfulness comes from an eastern meditative practice where you are instructed to focus on the “here-and-now “ and not allow your mind to drift into thinking about things past or future. This practical idea is not a bad thing from a Christian perspective; clearly Jesus is explaining in the New Testament book of Matthew chapters four through eight about concepts that have to do with not worrying and thinking about things that have not yet been and about not dwelling on past hurts or offenses. I think it’s fair to say that Jesus wants us to live in the present: here and now; which are concepts that are taught as part of teaching mindfulness. But the BIG issue is HOW you are able to do such things as keeping your mind on things that are good and healthy and in the here-and-now?
So what’s the problem here with the idea of mindfulness vs. having our minds in Christ?
Let’s look at the next concept: having our minds “in Christ Jesus”. The big new insert into this discussion here is that: we as Christians, have some One that empowers us to keep our minds focused here in the present on things that are “above and not below” (Colossians 3:2). In our own strength and effort we may be able to try to focus ourselves in the here and now, but all this will give us is an unhealthy confidence in our own abilities (or carnal confidence or pride, in the negative sense of the word). Whether we like to think about this are not, I will argue that that is a carnal confidence or ungodly pride. Romans 8:6 – 7 indicates that anything that I do apart from surrender to my Redeemer the Lord Jesus Christ is carnality and leads to destruction and devastation.
As a Christian, focusing myself and my own strength on the present (and not the past or the future) without relying on Jesus as my strength, as my counsel, as my whole: fully as my all in all, can be seen as carnality and is immoral. Do you understand? Just because I’m focusing on the present doesn’t mean I’m doing it “in Christ” and through His Grace/Strength. And if I’m not doing it “in Christ” then I will argue I am not living the Life that God has for me in His Kingdom: in Him. I can be going through the steps of living the Christian life in all sorts of ways without being surrendered to God, This is often how God challenges and corrects us, by helping us to realize that what we’re doing was apart from Him and His strength and help, even if it just means staying “in the present” in our minds. We often feel the “pain” of this kind of carnal living because of it’s “natural” consequences or how this living “deadens” or hearts or spirits.
Having our minds firmly set upon Jesus Christ is a discipline that goes far beyond the idea of mindfulness. In Christ, by surrendering to Jesus and learning to live and move and have our being in Him we’re focusing on the essential experience of being in the Kingdom of God. Some call this: “Living in the River” as opposed to living out on the “muddy banks”. The first is being in Christ, the second is being in the flesh. One leads to a life that is fulfilling here on earth (despite the pain and sacrifice that “living in Love” will needfully involve) by the power of the Spirit of Christ and all the joy and satisfaction that comes from that – and the other which brings upon us the consequences are living in direct opposition to God: or carnally. “...[T]he mind governed by the Spirit is life and peace...” Romans 8:6
This Spirit of Christ raised our Lord Jesus Christ from the dead and the same Holy Spirit can raise us from the deadness of carnal thinking and behaving. This is a far cry from just being “mindful” - which is all the 3-dimensioned World, apart for Jesus can offer us. Which is some help, granted - but does it lead the Seeker where they need to be? You can enter into that Spiritual dimension of Christ’s invisible Kingdom here on earth, for the FIRST time by believing in what Jesus Christ did for us all by sacrificing His life for pay the universal cost of our and Humanity’s wrong doing or breaking of God’s Love Laws. Or you can stay (as a Believer in Jesus) in the “River” by continuing to remain in surrender to our Lord and Redeemer: Jesus.
Let’s all get in the River! The Water is FINE!
