People are creatures of habit. What they eat, drink, act on, navigate through the day can take on a mind of its own when we go about life mindlessly. The routines of life can sweep one into a path that rarely strays from the norm. People are comfortable in their path, their mindlessness. This is in contradiction to what many Christians believe from Ephesians 4 verses 22-23 “you are taught, with regard to your former ways of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; to be made new in the attitude of your minds”.
What is the mind directed at daily for the average American? According to statistics, there are roughly 15 hours of awake time each day. [i] Personal care getting ready in the morning takes around 30-40 minutes and is mostly routine. Influencer, Brenden Burchard believes these first few moments of the day can be amplified by setting goals by meditating even before rising from bed, being grateful for people in your life, and thinking of people to purposely serve during the day.[ii] Most people, however, are not as mindful of their first hour of the day as they go through the routines of personal care and grabbing the first coffee.
The average work week consists of 35-40 hours. The hours spent on work-related activity can go up or down depending on where you are working. Working from home can be less time-consuming with no commute as well as less personal care prep. A case can be made on both sides of the working space for better productivity.[iii] Arguments for both lies in individual work ethics, organizational skills, work setting, and availability of resources. Colossians 3:23 directs us to “work at it with all your heart.” Easy enough to slip into a “just get it done well enough” attitude.
As time passes at work, thinking about leisure time begins. Television, sports, movies are some of the top choices. How often does conversation with friends or co-workers turn to the latest episode of a television show or the next football game? Social media is a huge mind stealer. Each time you check a post, scroll, or check personal email at work or home, the distraction can take your brain up to 30 minutes to re-focus.[iv]
The rest of the day is filled with family activities, errands, shopping, household chores, etc. The mind has more than enough to keep track of. Clubs, community activities, and church are far too often, and sadly, at the low end of our time priorities.
As Christians, do we give thought to the renewing of our minds? Are we consciously becoming new creatures in Jesus every day? Can we put aside old habits and remake our daily schedule to fit time for our spirits? Time for thoughts of God, His Word, and His mission? It’s a battle for the mind we must fight.
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