1 Peter 1:13
Wherefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and hope to the end for the grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation of Jesus Christ;
When God talks about girding up the loins of your mind, He is talking about stimulating your mind to think. One of the greatest weaknesses of this generation is that people would rather be entertained and let others think for them than for them to take the time to think and meditate. A thinking mind is critical to being solution-oriented instead of an excuse-giving person.
You must learn what stimulates your mind if you are going to be a person God can use to accomplish great works for Him. Let’s face it; when doing a work for God, you must teach people, resolve problems, learn how to work with people of different personalities, and come up with ideas to keep people motivated. Every person will, at times, seem to hit a wall, and it is in those times that you must gird up the loins of your mind to stimulate the mind to think of ideas to help. You will develop a lazy mind if you don't purposely stimulate your mind to think. When I get to those times when my mind is locked, I have learned how to stimulate my mind to get back to thinking. Let me share what I do to stimulate my mind to think.
First, I talk to people who like to talk about ideas. Most people want to talk about people, but I would rather talk with people about ideas that can help others. You can talk about people, but you will develop a lazy mind that never comes up with solutions to help the people you are talking about. To have a thinking mind, spend time with people who talk about ideas. Your mind will be stimulated to think when you are able to talk with people about ideas rather than gossip.
Second, I listen to preaching that stirs my mind to think. One of the preachers I commonly listen to who stirs my mind to think is my former pastor, Dr. Jack Hyles. Bro. Hyles was a thinking pastor, which is very evident in his preaching. I am not so interested in listening to cliché preachers who are more interested in alliterating their sermons to sound cute than I am in listening to preaching that stirs my mind to think. A preacher who preaches to the heart instead of the head will be a preacher that will stir your mind to think. Bro. Hyles is one of those preachers who preached to the heart, and that is what causes his preaching to stir my mind to think. Find preachers who are strong in the old paths who stir your mind to think and listen to them when your mind becomes a bit cloudy in its thinking process.
Third, I read books that stir my mind to think. Reading is a mental exercise that forces your mind to think, especially if you are reading books that teach. I am not as interested in reading books for mere entertainment, but I read books for ideas. When I am reading for ideas, it stimulates my mind to think.
Fourth, I ask God to unlock my mind to think. God knows you better than you know yourself, and nobody will put the right books, people, or situations in your life like God who can stir your mind to think.
Finally, I read God’s Word for ideas. Depending on what is happening in my life at a certain time, I read different parts of the Scriptures to stir my thinking in that area. If you yield to the Holy Spirit as you read God’s Word, you will find His Word will help to gird up the loins of your mind to think.
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