Daily Devotional: The Mind of Christ

Paul tells Timothy that bodily exercise profiteth little. What, then, is profitable?

I Timothy 4:8

​“For bodily exercise profiteth little: but godliness is profitable unto all things, having promise of the life that now is, and of that which is to come.”

What is the most profitable endeavor we can pursue? Surely it is not material objects, for there is always another, more valuable possession. Surely it is not our bodies, for with time they weaken until finally decomposing. Instead, the only endeavors that truly have profit are ones that produce eternal effects.
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Surely we can all agree that it is far better to have one item that will last forever than several items that only last a little while. This is why we strive for quality in our goods. Yet, when it comes to our personal lives, are we striving for endeavors that produce quality results?

Why obsess over our bodies? Why fret over ten or twenty pounds (myself included)? In the end, our bodies and all of our material possessions will be destroyed. Only the unseen, intangible goods are worth our constant attention.

Consider, how easy is it to gossip, complain, or insult? We all know that unless we spend every second reminding ourselves that we are witnesses for Christ and must therefore always carry ourselves well for His name’s sake, we accidentally cross the line and offend the Spirit by our words or mannerisms. If we fail to address these failures, then we stand guilty before a perfect God; our trespasses, no matter how slight, are filthy rags compared to His magnificence and therefore demand we pay the consequences for our vileness.

No matter how much effort I place in being perfect in word and deed, I will err. The only way to avoid standing guilty before my heavenly Father is if I understand His perfect will to such a degree that I instinctively perform it. How can I understand His will so thoroughly? I must join myself to the mind of Christ; rather, I must allow His mind to join and overshadow my own.

Christ is indescribably greater than us, yet He has made His thoughts and desires available through the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. Let us then submit to that blessed Spirit, obeying Him when He speaks, abiding always in His will and righteousness. Let us rejoice in the One who saves us and honor Him by seeking His mind, an endeavor of godliness that reaps eternal rewards both in this life and the one to come.

• Reflection: Are you striving for godliness? Leave a comment below to share how God deepens your relationship to Him.