Next up in this wholeness series, I’m going to talk about clarity and the process of renewing your mind.
Clarity means the quality or state of being clear. I don’t know about you, but I have seen an increase in mental health related topics and concerns for having a sound mind, which is so critical to our well-being. Clarity of thought is important to our daily decision making abilities. Anxiety is something that can debilitate you from making decisions and really living fully in your daily life. I know, based on personal experience, that what we meditate on matters.
There is a well quoted scripture from Romans about a renewed mind. Let’s take a moment to compare a few translations:
I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.
Romans 12:1-2 NKJV
Beloved friends, what should be our proper response to God’s marvelous mercies? To surrender yourselves to God to be his sacred, living sacrifices. And live in holiness, experiencing all that delights his heart. For this becomes your genuine expression of worship. Stop imitating the ideals and opinions of the culture around you, but be inwardly transformed by the Holy Spirit through a total reformation of how you think. This will empower you to discern God’s will as you live a beautiful life, satisfying and perfect in his eyes.
Romans 12:1-2 TPT
Therefore I urge you, brothers and sisters, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies [dedicating all of yourselves, set apart] as a living sacrifice, holy and well-pleasing to God, which is your rational (logical, intelligent) act of worship. And do not be conformed to this world [any longer with its superficial values and customs], but be transformed and progressively changed [as you mature spiritually] by the renewing of your mind [focusing on godly values and ethical attitudes], so that you may prove [for yourselves] what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect [in His plan and purpose for you].
Romans 12:1-2 AMP
The Amplified is the one that I love the most. Our logic and intellect is all part of an act of worship. What we meditate/think on is also a form of worship. What we give worth to usually takes up a lot of mental space in our processing of things throughout the day. Can you relate?
I know if it wasn’t for worship music, I would not have the sound mind I have today. After my husband passed, the first way the Holy Spirit got through to my heart and mind was sending lyrics that all of a sudden felt like directives to my mind that sparked my heart to act. It’s changed me. It’s changed the neuropathways in my brain. I don’t have scanned proof, but I know how I feel and think, and it’s faster, clearer, and more assured to handle the many decisions I now have to make as a single parent. I am able to do hard things with Thee!
Knowing this has been empowering and still hard on many days. It didn’t happen overnight. This has been a practice I’ve exercised by activating the Spirit and declaring with the authority the Father has given each of us to use. The ability to speak over ourselves to release the spirit of anxiety, depression, brain fog, decision fatigue and so many other things are all layers of toxic interference/distractions/distortion. You see, I believe these diagnoses all have a spirit to them, and every spirit has to bow to the Spirit of the King. If you identify yourself as a child of God, then you can call on your Heavenly Father for help, and He has the ability to transform your perspective so you can handle things differently. Again, it takes time to change your thought patterns.
This also takes a level of self-awareness, to be able to assess your current state of mind. I know for me, when someone dies that I was close to, my mind kind of checks out for a few days. I don’t want to handle daily things. I want to just push them to the side. I feel there is something to be captured in the ascent as their spirit lifts off to heaven. I want to receive whatever revelation the Father is willing to send in my direction. I have had some very powerful moments of holy presence find me. It’s drawn me to the piano to pound out my emotions through the keys, and a song usually comes forth that feels like an impression from His heart to impart. 🥹❤️🩹 I have to tell you, when those experiences happened, even though the emotions can be intense, the pay-off of using what’s in my hand to work through the feelings has saved my life. For that, I’m thankful and humbled, and Lord willing, I’ll be doing this for the rest of my days as part of my surrendered obedience to the King and part of my inheritance given from Thee.
To finish, it just seems fitting to add a link to this amazing song by Jonathan and Melissa Helser called Sound Mind. This was written right at the beginning of the pandemic as her own declaration, for her mind was starting to lose its clarity. So, I’m asking you to let this song sing over you on repeat. Allow it to do what it was created to do, to shift whatever atmosphere you are walking around with, and release it. For when you do, it will bring you back into alignment with your original design of sound mind, and clarity! Amen.
Jonathan and Melissa Helser - Sound Mind
Until next time,
Stay Tender
Connect to the Mender
Be a Sender