The Loneliness of Disconnect

“Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus…”
Philippians 2:5 KJV

Do you ever feel that you are stuck in the sameness of your Christian life, or that you have relapsed into the routine of religion? In your heart you desire to grow in your relationship with Jesus Christ but you seem to have reached a plateau and you are simply drifting along, yet at the same time you have a longing for more of Jesus.

This morning I am back in the garden. I’m not sure how long I can stay today. February is not the best time to sit in the garden! The hood of my coat feels good as it protects me from the chill of winter. My gloved hands grip a steaming thermos of coffee. Just as my coat provides outer warmth, the coffee warms me inside in a very comforting way.

Today I am a bit sad as I ponder the estrangement I am feeling. Why does my spirit seem so cold? I long for the “Son” shine of summer and the smell of sweet honeysuckle drifting through the air.

I know that Jesus is here with me but neither of us have much to say. I begin reflecting on older lessons I have learned in the garden. In my mind I travel back to one of the times when I really experienced God’s nearness. It was a time when his Holy Spirit was teaching me in leaps and bounds! I felt vibrant and alive in my spirit.

Today I am becoming lost in the memory of that time. It was a time when I was presented with the idea that we are commanded to have “the mind of Christ”. The first time that I heard that phrase was about thirty-five years ago. Our minister repeatedly commented on the importance of having “the mind of Christ”.

What strange words, yet they were taken directly from scripture. At times I wondered if that idea didn’t somehow boarder on blasphemy. The nerve of me to think that I could ever have the mind of Christ! Today I am remembering that over the years that phrase has continued to find its way into my life. Surely God wants me to consider this command.

Even though Jesus doesn’t have much to say today, I still sense that he is looking at me and smiling because he knows that the previously learned truth will serve as a spring board that will fan the flame in my heart. He knows that new growth is just about to pop out. Jesus knows that spring is just around the corner!

If you are married there is a strange phenomenon that happens over the years. You begin to finish your mate’s sentences because you know exactly what he or she is thinking and about to say. This comes from living together in close proximity. You and your mate have developed a close relationship through constantly being together. You may have also experienced this with a very close personal friend, a parent or a sibling.

As I continue to walk with Jesus Christ I begin to know exactly how he thinks as well. I have learned this through the study of his Word. What did Jesus teach and what did he model? I find it amazing that God not only says, “Let this mind be in you that was also in Christ Jesus,” Philippians 2:5 KJV, but that God has given us the plan, the example, the blue print for us to follow. God’s Holy Bible shows us how to have the mind of Christ! The truth is that it is possible to know the mind of Christ and to choose to have his thoughts.

Sometimes work, distance, and circumstances crowd into my life and the presence of these interruptions drives a wedge between me and someone I love. When this happens I begin to feel lost, lonely, and estranged. Coldness settles in and I find that I need personal time alone with that person. But it is possible to fan the flame, dig back into the relationship, spend time with that person, share our deepest feelings and longings, express our love and grow together again. The same is true with our relationship with Jesus Christ.

So today I want to open up my heart and mind and learn more about Jesus. I want to know him intimately. I desire that his thoughts will be my thoughts, and his ways my ways. I want my responses to be his responses. I believe that having the mind of Christ is something that we can all aspire to by intentionally praying that the Holy Spirit will develop the mind of Christ Jesus within our spirit.


Questions:

Are you experiencing a time of spiritual growth or loneliness and disconnect?

Has God ever spoken to you through his Word?

If yes, reflect back on that time of personal spiritual growth. What did you learn?

Are you longing for more?

What do you think about the command that we are to have the mind of Christ?


Prayer:

Dear Heavenly Father,

Thank you that you are so faithful to teach us great and marvelous truths that are found throughout your Word. Help me Lord to continue to desire to learn. Father I never want to stop learning. I am intrigued by the thought of having your mind and the possibility of learning to think as you do. I know your ways are higher than my ways and I want to understand how to think more like you. I want to experience knowing you intimately in such a way that we will begin to think alike. I pray that I will choose to allow your mind and your thoughts to be in me. Thank you Father for the Bible because it is your precious words sent from heaven to guide all humanity.

In Your Name I Pray. Amen