Every day, we fill our minds with lots of thoughts, ideas, daydreams, concerns, worries, and considerations. What we think about it isn’t neutral. Our thoughts direct our desires, hopes, fears, passions, emotions, and actions. The old adage “you are what you eat” reminds us what we put in our bodies affects our bodies. But it’s also true “you are what you think” because what we put in our minds affects our mind, heart, and behavior.
That’s why the Bible talks a lot about our thought life and renewing our mind. Scripture encourages us to fight lies with truth and to rehearse what we know to be true rather than spin our wheels about what isn’t true (lies) or could be true (hypotheticals). It’s why Paul writes, “Whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things” (Phil. 4:8). He believed the people at Philippi would only change to be more like Jesus when they changed what they thought about.
Your thought life is like a central hub that affects every other arena of your life. That means change—whether a change in emotions, disposition, desires, or behaviors—must include a change in how we think or what we think.
What are you thinking, considering, and mulling over today? Or what should you think about today?
One word the Bible offers us is “consider.” To consider something means to think carefully about it, to chew on or meditate on it, to evaluate it and look at it from multiple angles, or to give great attention to something. To be told to “consider” something also seems to imply there’s a key truth or fact we’re missing. By considering this idea or thought, it’s meant to flick the light on and add insight and understanding about our situation.
In the Bible, there are many things we’re told to consider. We’re encouraged to think and meditate on these things, and then also consider what it should mean for us. Usually the call to consider also includes the new way of thinking, believing, feeling, or living that should result from considering the facts. Consideration brings about change, but a failure to consider the truth causes us to stray in error or confusion.
In fact, the psalmist scolds the people of Israel for their failure to consider God’s mighty and merciful works on their behalf. “Our fathers, when they were in Egypt, did not consider your wondrous works; they did not remember the abundance of your steadfast love” (Ps. 106:7). The thought here is that if they would have considered who their God is and what He had done, they would have trusted and followed Him.
Consideration leads to transformation. May we not be foolish and unfaithful by failing to consider God’s word, world, works, and ways as His people today.
Here’s a sample list of ten things from the Bible to consider today. I’ll include a reflective question with each call to consider. I hope these ten things lead you to steer your mind toward these things as you notice it veering into distractions, fears, worries, concerns, and lies.
TEN THINGS THE BIBLE ENCOURAGES US TO CONSIDER
- Consider the great things God has done.
- Consider the steadfast love of God.
- Consider the Word.
- Consider your ways.
- Consider God’s creation.
- Consider yourself dead to sin and alive in Christ.
- Consider your glorious future.
- Consider God’s calling upon you.
- Consider how to encourage others.
- Consider Jesus.
1) Consider the great things God has done.
“Only fear the Lord and serve him faithfully with all your heart. For consider what great things he has done for you.” (1 Samuel 12:24)
When Samuel addresses the people of God, he calls them to consider the many great things God has done for them. Samuel gives this speech when he anticipates leaving the people, so his parting words include the charge to consider all the mighty and marvelous things their God has done, and then live in light of them by trusting God, worshipping God, and obeying God. If they fail to consider what God has done, Samuel knows they’ll veer into idolatry and disobedience.
Job’s friend, Elihu, offers a similar encouragement when he says to consider the wondrous works of God. “Hear this, O Job; stop and consider the wondrous works of God.” (Job 37:14). Elihu goes on to list some of God’s “wondrous works” in creation that Job should consider. (More on considering creation a bit later.)
Consider today: what are some of the great things God has done in your life, in Scripture, in your church, for His people throughout church history, or in the world around you?
2) Consider the steadfast love of God.
“Whoever is wise, let him attend to these things; let them consider the steadfast love of the Lord.” (Ps. 107:43).
The psalmist recounts parts of Israel’s history to encourage them to trust in God’s steadfast love today. God’s steadfast love is His faithful, compassionate, committed, and unending love to His people. The words shows up throughout the Bible. David repeatedly mentions it in the psalms (see Ps. 5:7; 6:4; 13:5; 17:7; 18:50; 21:7; 25:6, 7, 10; 26:3; 31:7, 16, 21; 32:10; 33:5, 18, 22; 36:5, 7, 10; 40:10, 11; 51:1; 52:1, 8; 57:3, 10; 59:10, 16, 17; 61:7; 62:12; 63:3; 69:13, 16; 86:5, 13, 15; 101:1; 103:4, 8, 11, 17; 108:4; 109:21, 26; 138:2, 8; 143:8, 12; 144:2; 145:8).
The authors of Scripture know our tendency to doubt or question God’s love, or at least to question whether God could love us. And that’s why Scripture repeatedly grabs us by the cheeks and puts right in front of our eyes God’s steadfast love for us as His people, not because of our goodness but because of His grace. In our trials, if we consider God’s steadfast love it will remind us that we are in His care, that He is committed to us and faithful in all He promised, that He will not leave or forsake us, and that we are His children if we are in Christ. God’s steadfast love isn’t merely an attribute to know about but it’s a love to receive, to reciprocate, and to trust in.
Consider today: what are ways you know that God loves you or what are evidences of God’s love in your life and in the Bible? If God promises that His steadfast love is set upon His people, then what does that mean for His commitment to take care of you today? How can you trust in the God of steadfast love today?
3) Consider the Word.
“O Daniel, I have now come out to give you insight and understanding. 23 At the beginning of your pleas for mercy a word went out, and I have come to tell it to you, for you are greatly loved. Therefore consider the word and understand the vision.” (Dan. 9:22-23)
The angel Gabriel speaks to Daniel to give him understanding of his vision. But the phrase “consider the word” certainly applies to us today. Consider God’s Word and revelation of Himself is a repeated refrain in the Bible. Meditate on God’s Word. Consider what God has said. Consider who God is. And consider how we should then live.
Consider today: what verses, promises, or truths from Scripture has God recently encouraged you with, or which ones do you need to consider today?
4) Consider your ways.
“Then the word of the Lord came by the hand of Haggai the prophet, 4 ‘Is it a time for you yourselves to dwell in your paneled houses, while this house lies in ruins? 5 Now, therefore, thus says the Lord of hosts: Consider your ways. 6 You have sown much, and harvested little. You eat, but you never have enough; you drink, but you never have your fill. You clothe yourselves, but no one is warm. And he who earns wages does so to put them into a bag with holes. Thus says the Lord of hosts: Consider your ways.’” Haggai 1:3-5
Haggai, a prophet, calls on the people of God to consider their ways. This is really a call to repentance, to recognize their sin and turn from it and turn back to God. The push to “consider your ways” is a push for Israel to notice how their path and ways look different from the paths and ways that God put before them. We all drift away from God and away from His ways into our own sinful ways. Sometimes it’s slow and subtle (though sometimes it’s clearly not). We need this reminder to examine our life, to look at how we’re living, to notice some of the bad fruit and red flags in our life, and to consider where we’ve pursued our ways rather than God’s ways. The goal underneath this is that we would return to God.
Consider today: are there any areas of your life where you’re drifting from God or walking in ways that you know aren’t what God desires for you? Are you pursuring your agenda and glory as opposed to pursuing God’s agenda and glory? Is there anything you need to turn from (repent of) and return to God?
5) Consider God’s creation.
“Go to the ant, O sluggard; consider her ways, and be wise” (Prov. 6:6).
“Consider the ravens: they neither sow nor reap, they have neither storehouse nor barn, and yet God feeds them. Of how much more value are you than the birds! 25 And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life? 26 If then you are not able to do as small a thing as that, why are you anxious about the rest? 27 Consider the lilies, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin, yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. 28 But if God so clothes the grass, which is alive in the field today, and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, how much more will he clothe you” (Luke 12:24-28).
The historic Belgic Confession talked about the two books of God, His Word and His world. God has filled creation, or nature, with truths that point us back to God or truths that illustrate things from Scripture. (I’d actually love to write a book on this one day called, Consider Creation.) Three examples from Scripture. Consider the wise, hard-working ants and how they store up for the future according to what they will need. Consider the birds that God provides for and takes care of, but consider how much more He loves you and will care for you. Consider the lilies and flowers that are full of splendor and glory, and yet also quickly pass away, and know how much more God is concerned about clothing and providing for you.
The more we live with eyes open to see the wisdom, beauty, power, creativity, provision, and love of God in creation all around us, the more we will consider what these truths mean for us today.
Consider today: are you paying attention to God’s revelation of Himself and His ways through His world? What do the rhythms of the seasons, the glory of creation, the details in each creature, the wonders all around us, and God’s care for it all reveal to us about who He is?
6) Consider yourself dead to sin and alive in Christ.
“So you also must consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus” (Rom. 6:11).
Paul reminds the Church at Rome that because they placed their faith in Jesus and were united to him, that their old self/flesh died with Christ and they are now made alive in Christ. Jesus’ death, burial, and resurrection patterns our own passageway from death to the old me to a resurrected, new me. But it’s easy to forget that in Christ we not only have forgiveness from sin’s penalty but we also have freedom from sin’s power. We can walk in new life. We can obey Jesus rather than our flesh or sin. But it requires considering that we aren’t who we used to be and we no longer must obey our flesh or sin. We must instead remember and consider who we really are. We are in Christ, and therefore, made alive and new, which means we can and should live in light of our union with Christ.
Consider today: are you living as if sin is still your master when Jesus has freed you from sin? Are you fighting temptation by considering the power and strength you have in Christ and by his Spirit in you?
7) Consider your glorious future. “For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us” (Rom. 8:18).
Paul tells the Church that we need to consider what awaits us. When life seems dominated by hardship and pain, we need to consider that this is only for a short span of time, while the glory and perfection we will experience in the future will never end. Consider how all these dark but temporary trials cannot compare to the glorious and bright eternal future ahead of you. Paul sees this as both an encouragement to endure suffering and a reminder of what belongs to us in Christ. When we feel caught up in the problems and pain of today, consider that this is short, temporary, and will soon be over. And consider instead what our future without sin as glorified people on a renewed Earth living in the presence of our true king will look live. There is a lot of loss now or things we miss out now, but it will be more than made up for one day.
Consider today: are you living in light of eternity and what belongs to you, is true of you, and will be experienced by you in the future? How should eternities glories help us endure today’s trials? Why would Paul say our present sufferings aren’t worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed to us?
8) Consider God’s calling upon you.
“For consider your calling, brothers: not many of you were wise according to worldly standards” (1 Cor. 1:26).
This verse comes in a section where Paul is rebuking the Church at Corinth for putting their trust in worldly wisdom, power, wealthy, and accolades. They’re finding their value or their help, not in the things of God but in the things of earth. Paul reminds them how God works and when God called them to Himself. It wasn’t because they were powerful, wise, wealthy, or good. It’s only by God’s grace they’ve been saved and only by God’s wisdom, power, and love that they will continue to grow and thrive. Too often we trust in human power, wisdom, and wealth, but God calls us to consider both that these things are nothing compared to God’s power and wisdom but also that God calls and works through those who are weak, dependent, and trust in God.
Consider today: are you putting your trust in yourself or the things of earth, or in God? Do you try to perform for God or rest in God’s promises? Do you embrace your weakness, dependence, and desperation or try to resist and overcome these things? How can you trust in God’s wisdom and power today?
9) Consider how to encourage others.
“And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works” (Heb. 10:24).
We should not only consider what God has said and done, but in Hebrews we’re told to consider what we can say or do to encourage one another. We’re told to consider, to be intentional and deliberate, about stirring up one another to love and good works. I think there is an intentionality here that we minimize and miss as the body of Christ. Consider how you can encourage and stir up others today.
Consider today: who needs encouragement in your life today? How can you intentionally walk alongside someone who needs encouragement, practical help, or a friend in this season? What it would look like to stir up love and good works today in someone else’s life?
10) Consider Jesus.
“looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured from sinners such hostility against himself, so that you may not grow weary or fainthearted” (Heb. 12:2-3).
There’s no better way to end than reminding us the greatest and most glorious thing/one in all the universe to set our mind on is Jesus Christ. We’re told to be like a runner with their eyes set on the finish line by “looking to Jesus” (Heb. 12:2), and we’re told to “consider” Christ’s endurance in suffering for us as we endure suffering as his people. This is the consistent New Testament message: consider Jesus. Set your mind and heart on Jesus. Abide in him by abiding in his words (which we must think on). See and savor Jesus in all things and above all things. Behold him and the Spirit will transform you so you become more and more like him (Col. 1:28; 3:10).
There is nothing as worthy as our thoughts as Jesus. Think about the glory of who he is as the God-Man. Think about the wonder of the incarnation as he set aside glory to take on humility to rescue sinners. Think about the beauty and goodness of his life so full of compassion, love, truth, wisdom, righteousness, and power. Think about his sacrificial death on the cross, not for himself but for us, which is our only hope for forgiveness of sin. Think about his glorious resurrection where he conquered death and evil, was vindicated and proven to be who he claimed to be, and where he assures us of our own future resurrection with him. Think about his ascension to the right hand of the Father where even now he reigns over his kingdom and intercedes on our behalf as his Church. Think about the fact that if you are in Christ, then today you have every spiritual blessing in him and that anything you need to live a godly life is yours in and through Christ. Think about his return and how we will spend eternity with him on a new earth basking in the glorious light of his presence that fills all things. Consider Jesus.
SIMILAR ARTICLES ON RENEWING OUR MIND
For more ways to renew your mind, see “10 Ways to Renew Your Mind,” “Renew Your Mind with Gospel-Centered Reflection,” and “Renew Your Mind in Community.”
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