What Is Your Mindset

Encounter: Take a few minutes and sit with the scripture of Philippians 2:1-11. Consider your thoughts and practices and read a second time.

What does it mean to have a mindset? A mindset is about setting ones mind to a particular state to achieve a certain outcome. A football player will have a specific mindset that helps him to be his best and execute plays that help the team win a game. A runner will have a specific mindset that helps them to overcome certain mental and physical barriers in order to run a certain distance at a certain pace.

A couple of years ago, my son asked me to join him in a bicycle event in the Bloomington area. This event was called the Hilly Hundred. It was two days of fifty miles each day. In order to prepare for this event, I had to go out and build up to riding a bicycle 50 miles in one day. However, the challenge was the hilly part. The hills in the Hoosier National Forest are pretty intense considering our flatlands in Blackford, Delaware and Grant counties.

In order to get the right mindset, I trained everyday by riding ten miles during lunch and each time, trying to ride faster than the day before. On the weekends, I worked myself up to 60 miles. I always took Sunday as a rest day. I had to train myself how to eat and drink while riding at a certain pace. I had to train my mind just as much as my legs.

On the other hand, My son did not train with as much discipline as I. He did a few long rides up to 40 miles, but never really pushed himself during the week. He was still young and relying on youth, while I was in my fifties and knew my body had limitations.

The weekend came for the event and neither my son or I rode both days. He barely finished the first day and said no way he could ride the second day. I finished upbeat and looked forward to the second day. However, when I woke up the second day and experienced sharp pain in my right knee, I knew I was finished.

I share this to reflect the difference in mindset between myself and my son. I trained differently because I knew my limitations and knew I had to train in a more disciplined manner in order to complete the event. My son’s training relied mostly on his invincible youth and learned he was not so invincible.

Paul writes to the Philippians to encourage them to have the same mindset as Christ Jesus in how they approach their relationships with others. If we have a mindset of selfishness and don’t bother me, the outcome will be cold and others will not be as accepting to us. If we have an open and approachable mindset, then others will feel more welcome and willing to learn more about the Good News.

Just like an athlete trains for their event, we too, must train in order to have the same mindset as Christ. We have to read to understand what Christ was like. We have to pray and ask for God to reveal in us what we need to change in order to be more Christ like. We have to listen to the Spirit’s guiding in order to reflect Christ to others.

Just like my experience with the Hilly Hundred, we may not be successful every day carrying the same mindset as Christ. This is OK. God offers us grace for those days and all we have to do is ask for the grace and accept the grace and try again the next day to achieve the same mindset as Christ. It is a journey of ups and downs, twists and turns, and challenges. Never give up.

³ We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they help us develop endurance. ⁴ And endurance develops strength of character, and character strengthens our confident hope of salvation. ⁵ And this hope will not lead to disappointment. For we know how dearly God loves us, because he has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with his love. Romans 5:3–5 NLT

Reflect: Take a moment and reflect on your current mindset. Does it align with Christ or is it one of independence, trying to simply get things done and get through the day. Consider how you started your day and what your day’s plans were. Ask God to reveal to you how you might change your practice to align your mindset to Christ.

Spiritual Practice: At the start of your day, ask God to reveal to you the status of your mindset. Take a few minutes to write down what He reveals to you. Then ask God to reveal to you what you may need to change in order to align your mind with that of Christ to have the same love, and be of one spirit and one mind with Him. Halfway through your day, check in with God and share with Him how you feel you have done so far and ask for strength to finish the day with the same mindset as Christ. At the end of each day, sit with God and take some time to reflect with him what went well and what didn’t. Then pray for the courage to listen to God’s guidance on how to grow in the mindset of Christ.

Gather: As you gather in your small groups, ask each other how and what it may look like to be of the same mindset as Christ. Ask each other how they might prepare themselves to have the same mindset as Christ.