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Canal with moored boats, Venice, Italy. Photo by Charles F. Stanley.
Daily Devotion

Who’s in Control of Our Thoughts?

What we dwell on shapes who we become. Allow the Holy Spirit to guide your thoughts toward Christ.

Colossians 3:1-3

Do you ever struggle with thoughts that pull you away from God, perhaps toward emotions like unforgiveness, pride, jealousy, or anger? Honestly, we all do. The mind is often more vulnerable to outside influence than we like to admit, and our culture bombards us with content that shapes how we think and who we’re becoming.

That’s worth taking seriously. Our thought life matters more than we may realize. What we dwell on quietly forms our attitudes, responses, and character. Paul understood this, which is why he urges believers to keep setting “[their] mind on the things above, not on the things that are on earth” (Col. 3:1-2).

The good news is that we’re not left to manage this on our own. Scripture reassures us that we can take our thoughts captive and bring them back to what’s true (2 Cor. 10:5). When we continually look to God for help with how we think, He reshapes us from the inside out (Rom. 12:2).

The moment we place our trust in Jesus, we become new people. That doesn’t mean our minds are instantly transformed, but we now have both the responsibility and the power, through the Holy Spirit, to steer our thoughts in a better, more Christlike direction.

Bible in One Year: Acts 1-2