By Drake Hunter | Contributing Commentary, Rocky Mountain Voice
Most Christians are familiar with the Great Commandment: “Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind” (Matthew 22:37).
We often talk about the heart — linking it to trusting God’s love — and the soul, which relates to our physical energy and strength. But what about the mind? This oft overlooked part of our being or personhood is powerful and essential to living a life of purpose and impact. Everything begins with the mind — our thoughts shape how we feel, live and respond to the world.
For Christians, mindset is about prioritizing the mind over the physical. Picture it this way: The brain is the hardware, a physical tool for processing information; The mind is the software, the source of our attitudes, beliefs and spiritual direction. Without functioning software, hardware is useless. And without hardware, software lacks a place to operate. Both matter, but the mind takes precedence, because it determines how we experience and interact with life.
The Apostle Paul captures this beautifully in Romans 8:5-6: “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. The mind governed by the flesh is death, but the mind governed by the Spirit is life and peace.”
Here’s what Paul is saying: The mind can either be governed by the flesh — leading to chaos, despair and emptiness — or by the Spirit, resulting in life, peace and fulfillment.
So, what exactly is mindset? It’s the collection of thoughts, attitudes and beliefs that shape your perspective. Think of it like your life’s operating system. Without Christ, our “mental software” is flawed and prone to viruses — fear, negativity and worldly thinking. But when we follow Jesus, He reprograms our minds with His truth. Let’s call it the “JC-OS” (Jesus Christ Operating System).
Let’s be honest: too many of us — even Christians — struggle with unhealthy thought patterns. We get stuck in cycles of fear, doubt and brokenness. But here’s the good news: You don’t have to stay there. Jesus offers a way to reset your mind and experience His promises in the here and now. It’s not complicated, but it does require intentionality.
Jesus described it as the narrow path (Matthew 7:14) — a road less traveled, but one that leads to life and excellence. And it’s here, I’m excited to share, that this is the direction we will take with this devotion in 2025. I’ll guide you through how all this works one pebble at a time, but until then, I encourage you to take a moment to evaluate your thinking to begin this journey with me.
Loving God with all your mind is more than a command; it’s an invitation to a renewed life where your thoughts, attitudes and perspectives align with truth. Yes, Jesus came to save your soul. However, part of that transformation is renewing your mind (Romans 12).
When your mind is renewed, your life will follow. Make the decision now to do so, and I promise where you once experienced chaos, peace is awaiting, aimlessness will vanish, and despair will be dismissed by hope where you’re the one who is paying it forward because you decided to just believe in the mindset of Christ. A new operating system is waiting — one filled with meaning, peace and impact for you and those around you to make a better tomorrow for all.