In the previous devotional I said that the battle is waged from a place of stillness. I was speaking about the personal and spiritual battles we face. 

Whenever we have to face hardships, we want to do so from a place that is calm, focused, rested and ready.

In Psalm 131, David says: “I have calmed and quieted myself, I am like a weaned child with its mother…” David had his fair share of battles, whether personal, moral, to do with his family, his leadership, or the nation. And yet he was able to calm and quiet his soul.

Here’s something you can do if you also want to calm and quiet your own soul for whatever you face.

Take back your mind.

‘But Matthew,’ you say, ‘I’m already in total control of my mind.’ Are you? Or has a near non-stop use of technology, screens, social media, news and noise broken into your cranium and threatened your peace?

In 2 Corinthians 10:5 Paul speaks about taking every thought captive to Christ. I’m struck by the word “captive.” It’s a word which suggests that you are going to face some resistance when you try to do so.

We’ve all seen those movies where two people are in the front seat of a car. They’re adversaries. They are fighting for control of the wheel. When we engage in unrestrained use of technology, aren’t we letting a stranger behind the wheel of our brain?

And that stranger could care less about the calm and quiet of your soul.

I’m not saying that all technology is bad. It’s not. The issue surfaces when you are unrestrained and naive.

Life today is wildly different than it was even twenty years ago. That’s why you need a plan to take back your mind if your stillness has been invaded by an unfriendly squatter who loves to be in your driver’s seat.

Set guidelines for yourself. Be accountable. Remember that nothing online is neutral. Re-learn to love moments of silence.

The battle is waged from a place of stillness.

Take back your mind.

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Notes:

–“My eyes are not raised too high.” Here is a Bible study podcast on Psalm 131. Click here.

–Bible quotes are from the NIV.