“We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.” — 2 Corinthians 10:5
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A while back, I was listening to a live tennis match and the commentators were discussing the mental side of the game and how important it is. Both players on court at the time were suffering through a tremendously hot day and feeling the physical effects, leading one of the commentators (himself a former player) to note that “where your mind goes, the body will follow.” He went on to point out different players in the history of the sport who had developed tremendous mental fortitude, allowing them to press through intense physical strain at times and still find a way to win. He said this is where the great champions set themselves apart.
Even in non-sports-related situations, we’ve all heard stories (or maybe experienced it ourselves) of times when someone’s willpower took over their physical capabilities and pushed them to extreme levels of commitment and achievement they never would’ve gone to otherwise. This is where warriors and rescuers and survivors are made: They learn how to talk themselves through a problem and not let the discomfort of it take over their attitude and thoughts.
In an age where most of our society looks for the easiest, most comfortable way out of a situation, dedication and mental toughness like this seems extraordinary.
Yet, it was the apostle Paul back in the first century who essentially said the same thing when talking about disciplining his body and keeping it under control, lest he should look hypocritical to those who looked up to him if he didn’t practice what he preached (1 Corinthians 9:27). He specifically worked on bringing his physical self under control. What that exactly was, we don’t know, but we do know it likely stemmed from the fact that he was often speaking about taking control of your mind first: “… take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ” (2 Corinthians 10:5, above); “Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is — his good, pleasing and perfect will” (Romans 12:2); “Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things” (Colossians 3:2); “Those who live according to the flesh have their minds set on what the flesh desires; but those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires” (Romans 8:5).
A neurosurgeon friend of mind who is a Christian often says, “You can’t change your life until you change your mind.” Most of us don’t think to treat our mind like we would our physical condition, but it’s basically the same thing. If your mind is right, the rest of your life will follow. And if not, a whole lot of other things can rob you of your courage, peace, hope and clarity.
So let’s aim to pay more attention to our mental patterns and see if doing some “thought biopsies” (as my friend likes to call them) begin to help us change other parts of our life. We may be surprised at the results.
— Katherine Singer
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