(Photo via Google Images)

TGIF! Yes, today is Friday and, in the Halloran household, Friday’s are clean house day. While most people start shifting into a lower gear heading into the weekend, I rev mine up a bit. I get caught up on any neglected laundry, dust all the furniture, clean the bathrooms, and vacuum and mop the floors. Having a clean house for the weekend helps me to rest and really enjoy quality time with my family, especially when we’ve had a busy week.

But cleaning house is such a chore, right!?! I don’t know too many people who really love cleaning; I ponder this while sipping my coffee trying to motivate myself to get started. 

And then came the inspiration!

I shifted my thoughts from the work and began thinking about the opportunity I would have to spend time with God. “How does this make sense?” you ask. After all, the task at hand is cleaning house.

That may be the case, but even while doing physical labor, I can fix my thoughts on Him. [Hebrews 3:1] I seriously can’t tell you how many times God has spoken to me while I’ve been busy cooking, cleaning, or (my favorite) running. Now, don’t get me wrong. There are times when we need to ‘Be still and know He is God.’ [Psalm 46:10] But 1 Thessalonians 5:17 says, “Pray without ceasing.” That doesn’t mean you have to spend 24/7 on your knees. Sometimes God will speak through the stillness and sometimes He will speak through the hustle and bustle.

We should never think we are too busy to spend time with God or to hear from God. That’s really not the case. The reality is, we are too DISTRACTED to spend time with God and to hear from God. 

Now, I don’t know about you, but my mind is not something I can turn off. I’m constantly thinking about something. My husband and I can be talking about what we want to eat for dinner and my mind goes from Red Lobster to that great little seafood place we ate at in Hilton Head to where we are going on vacation next summer. One thought leads to the next to the next.

How many times have you replayed movies over and over in our mind? For example, you had a conversation with a friend that didn’t go well. You think of what you said and how she reacted and then you come up with what you should have said instead and the imaginary ‘Take Two’ goes much better in your head. Or, you meet an attractive person and you think about what it would be like to hold their hand, kiss them, and then wherever else your mind may take you.

This is dangerous territory, my friend!

These are imaginations. Not reality. Only fantasies that will lead you to worry, anxiety, lustful desires, covetousness, anger, resentment, pride, and – ultimately – to your downfall.

The Word of God tells us to ‘cast down imaginations, and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, and bring into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ.’ [2 Corinthians 10:5] And ‘whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, dwell on these things.’ [Philippians 4:8]

“Resist the devil and he will flee from you!“[James 4:7] If you can bring your thoughts into alignment with the things of God, your actions will naturally follow. “For as a man thinks within himself, so is he.” [Proverbs 23:7] Do you know why David was called a man after God’s own heart? It’s because He meditated on the Lord constantly. David wrote over and over throughout the entire book of Psalm about turning his thoughts to God.

When we fix our thoughts on Him, He will give us clarity and direction. [Psalm 119:27] The wisdom of God is a hidden wisdom revealed to us by the Holy Spirit which resides in us.

Read 1 Corinthians 2:10-16 and study this out with me…

The Word says only the Spirit of God knows the thoughts of God. So,

When our thoughts are turned toward Him searching out the things of God, the Holy Spirit in us – knowing the thoughts of God – will bring our thoughts into alignment with God’s thoughts so we may know God’s heart.

The Spirit of God then transforms these spiritual thoughts into spiritual words and we begin speaking the wisdom of God.

This is how we have the mind of Christ!!!

Even during the busyness of today and the weekend (and always for that matter), I encourage you to turn your thoughts to Him. He will teach you great and mighty things! He will reveal His heart to you when His thoughts become your thoughts and His ways become your ways. When you begin walking in oneness with Him, you can’t help but have the mind of Christ.

Wow! Amazing! That is so cool! Oh, the things God will teach you on Clean House Day…!!!