What You Feed Your Mind
“You are what you love.”
I remember the first time I read that phrase. It was my first year of seminary and I was assigned Dr. James K.A. Smith’s book by the same title. It absolutely floored me. Dr. Smith argues powerfully that what tells us the most about ourselves is what we love. Not what we think we love, he clarifies, but what we actually love. What takes up our thoughts; what fills up our time; what we think about first thing in the morning and as we fall asleep at night.
Once you get past the disconcerting nature of realizing “you might not love what you think” – his daunting words! – the natural question becomes “what do I do about it?”
This is perhaps the most surprising twist in the whole argument. You don’t love the right things simply by thinking about them more. (Read that again). Now, to be clear, your mind is an absolutely vital piece of the puzzle. Think about Philippians 4:8 – “whatever is good, whatever is pure . . . think about these things.” Or Colossians 3 – “Set your mind on things above, where Christ is.” But we have to take it one step further and one layer deeper.
What you feed your mind is intricately connected to what you inhabit with your body. In other words, there isn’t a disconnect – at least not a sustainable one – between what you think and what you do. Take a silly example: coffee. I can say “I love coffee!” and actually think that I do. But if I never spend time thinking about coffee or learning about roasting methods or how to make a pour-over . . . do I really love it? Then a layer deeper: what if I rarely, if ever, drink it? Do I really love it? Contrast that with someone like my friend Bill who talks about coffee non-stop, buys new bags of coffee to try, and can always be found with a mug in his hands. He loves coffee. I know this not because he says it, but because his mind and actions show it.
I’ll say it again: the thoughts you have impact that actions you do (and vice versa).
So how do you intentionally feed your mind? How do you start to love the right things?
Here are two questions to consider:
1. Am I being intentional about what I think about? Romans 12 tells us to “take every thought captive” and “be transformed by the renewing of your mind.” The first step to loving the right things – and becoming what you love – is to start with an honest analysis of what you think about.
2. What actions or habits can I introduce to help myself love the right things? Could I form a habit of praying a short prayer every morning while I brush my teeth? Could I listen to the Bible while I wash dishes? (Connecting intentional thoughts to a physical/embodied habit has a way of helping it stick!)
Remember: you’re not doing this alone! The Holy Spirit is promised as a Comforter and Helper to guide your heart and mind. He’s making you more like Jesus in your mind and actions and helping you love Him more – because, after all, you become what you love.
