Colossians 3:2

Mission Briefing

Colossians 3:2 gives us a mission that sounds simple but is actually one of the hardest things you’ll ever do: “Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things.” Your mind is incredibly powerful. Whatever you fill it with – whatever you watch, replay, worry about, obsess over – starts to shape how you feel, how you act, and who you become. If your mind is constantly full of what other people think of you, or what you don’t have, or what could go wrong, you start to shrink. But when you train it to think about what’s true, good, and eternal – something opens up.

“Things above” doesn’t mean you have to walk around thinking about clouds all day. It means prioritising things that actually last – love, truth, God’s promises, kindness, purpose. The stuff that fades fast – trends, popularity, the next cool thing – isn’t bad to notice, but it’s a terrible thing to BUILD your mind around. Wisdom is knowing the difference. And wisdom comes from asking the right question before you fill your mind with something: “Will this make me more like Jesus? Will this matter in a year? In ten years?” If no – you don’t have to throw it out, but you don’t let it take over the controls.

What This Means For You

You get to choose what you think about – more than you might realise. When your mind keeps going back to something negative, you can redirect it. Say the verse. Think of something you’re grateful for. Pray. It takes practice, but the more you do it, the more natural it becomes. That’s what training your mind looks like. Wisdom is a muscle – and this is your workout.

Mission Activity

Fold a piece of paper into two columns. Title one “Earth” and the other “Above.” In the Earth column, write the things your mind tends to spend too much time on (worries, comparisons, screen stuff). In the Above column, write things that are worth thinking about (God’s love, people you care about, how to be kind today, what God promises). Look at the two lists. Then pray and ask God to help you spend more time in the second column. Keep the paper for the week as a mind-training reminder. (Note: the verse above is paraphrased to help younger readers connect with its meaning. The original is Colossians 3:2 NIV.)