Are you the type of person who is satisfied with the way things are? Or, do you have a hunger to discover your capabilities and a passion to do your best? Our heavenly Father has custom-designed a plan for each one of His children. He has specific goals for you and knows exactly what He desires you to be. For that reason, He created you with the potential to fulfill His unique purpose for your life.

    It is very important, then, to understand how to reach your full potential. The initial step is to have a clean heartthis means trusting Jesus Christ as your personal Savior and "washing" frequently by means of confession and repentance. (1 John 1:9)

    The mind is the control center of our lifeall of our behavior, attitudes, feelings, and achievements stem from how we think. It is absolutely necessary to have a clear mind in order to achieve what God desires. Our thoughts determine the way we relate to God, how we interact with other people, and ultimately whether we fail or succeed in life.

    There are several essential aspects of a clear mind. The first is being able to see things as they actually are rather than as they appear to be. Much of what the world labels "truth" is a deception, but a properly functioning mind is not misled. It can discern between true and untrue, right and wrong, good and best. For example, our culture promotes many ideas about spirituality and life after death, but we need not be confused we know the absolute truth about eternal life from the only reliable source on the subject: the inerrant Word of God.

    Along the same lines, a clear mind can discern between the will of God and the desire of man. People frequently say they cannot discern God's will for them. But it is not possible that God would have a will, plan, and purpose for our life and not let us know. If our mind is tainted by sin, however, He may delay revealing the whole picture until our focus shifts.

    In addition, a clear mind is uncluttered. An overload of worthless philosophies and worldly ideas can act as an obstacle, preventing people from reaching their potential. Sinful thoughts clog and eventually corrupt the mind until it thinks exactly as the world does. The cumulative effect of exposure to an ungodly television show is an example of clutter. It does not promote obedience or encourage the things of God but instead infuses the mind with worldly thoughts. No wonder it is called a "program" that is just what it does to our thinking!

    It is critical that our mind remain focused on God. When it is fragmented, we are unable to concentrate on the Lord and the things He has called us to dowe become like the object of our focus.

    Another attribute of a clear mind is that it is active, fruitful, and progressive. Some people are very passive, just taking whatever is handed to them and accepting things the way they are. That's no way to live! Instead, find out what God wants you to do. Learn what He wants you to achieve and become. In pursuing His goals for your lifefor which a clear mind is essential you will discover that routine is re-placed by vibrancy and purpose.

    Finally, a clear mind is controlled by the indwelling Holy Spirit. He enables us to think the way God thinksto see life from His perspective and perceive circumstances as they really are. We know that God has created the best possible design for each believer's life. If we think the way He thinks and line up with His plan, we will see things happening that we never dreamed possible.

    So how do we develop a clear mind? It comes through a personal relationship with God, whose mind is perfectly clear and pure. (1 John 1:5) The moment that we place our trust in Jesus Christ as Savior, we are "born again" (John 3:3), the Holy Spirit comes to live within us (John 14:17), and we become a new creation. (2 Corinthians 5:17) The Word of God tells us, "Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect" (Romans 12:2).

    To make God's thoughts a reality in our life, we must reorient our thinking. Ever since our birth, the world has been shaping our thoughts, filling our brain with patterns of thinking that produce worldly behavior. But God wants to fill our minds with godly thinking that yields right habits and correct ideas so that any false and corrupt patterns will be replaced by truth. One of the best ways to do that is to realize who you are: a child of Godyou are redeemed, forgiven of your sins, and declared no longer guilty. So, when your mind tries to revert to old, unhealthy thought patterns, remind yourself that they do not fit who you are.

    It is important to reject wrong thinking because it acts as a roadblock in our life, preventing us from reaching where God wants us to go. Notice how many hindering types of minds the Bible describes:

*  First, there is the "double-minded man, unstable in all his ways" (James 1:8). This is a person who thinks one way and acts another. Christians can fit this description when they vacillate between holy and carnal living, whether by jokes they laugh at or television programs they choose to watch. Their witness to family and friends is a mixed message.

*  Secondly, if someone wavers long enough, he can become reprobate in his thinking. That means he has sinned against God to the point that he can hardly distinguish between right and wrong because his mind is so cluttered with sin.

*  Third is the hardened mindone belonging to someone who has lived in repeated disobedience. After a while, the mind begins to jell, eventually solidifying like concrete. No longer soft and malleable toward the things of God, it shows an ever-diminishing interest in spiritual matters.

*  Next is the fleshly mind, which is consumed with "me." This describes someone whose thinking centers around what will please, satisfy, and bring pleasure to himself.

*  Then there is the defiled mind, which is polluted by impure thoughts. Exposure and openness to false teaching can affect thinking in this way.

*  The hostile mind is a result of recurrent sinning. At first, such a person may simply not want God to be part of his life. Eventually, however, he becomes angry and embittered toward the Lord and wants absolutely nothing to do with Him.

*  The futile mind is just empty. Such a person lacks direction, and everything seems useless to him.

*  Last is the darkened mind, which is Satan's objective. Remember, though, that darkness of mind cannot coexist with clear thinking. The Bible says that "God is light, and in Him there is no darkness at all" (1 John 1:5). A darkened mind simply doesn't fit who we as Christians are.

    So how do we maintain a clear mind, especially with all the thoughts, input, and stimuli we encounter each day? The Bible tells us, first of all, to renew our minds. We are not to be conformed, or poured into, the world's mold; instead, we are to let our life be shaped by our heavenly Father's hand. That means to bring our mind back to truth, not letting it drift into unhealthy pathways. 

    The core of the world's system in which we live is ungodly, so it is understandable that all kinds of thoughts will come into our mind: lust, greed, cynicism, and anger. When that happens, remember that you are a child of God, you represent the Lord Jesus Christ here on earth, and His indwelling Holy Spirit will convict you when your thoughts don't glorify Him. With His help, we can then turn off wrong thoughts like a faucet.

    A second way to maintain a clear mind is to "set your mind on things above, not on the things that are on earth" (Colossians 3:2). For example, as soon as you open your eyes in the morning, yield your life to God. Invite Him to live His life through you. Start your day with verses of Scripture to set your thinking in the right direction, and put on your "spiritual armor" as protection against the fiery darts of your spiritual Enemy. In particular, put on the helmet of salvation, because that guards your thinking, and also strap on the breastplate of righteousness to protect your emotions. (Ephesians 6:10-17)

     Philippians 4:8 gives us one more step to maintain a clear mind: dwell on positive things. You have been given the capacity to think either good thoughts or evil thoughts. As a child of God, you have not only the privilege but the responsibility to make choices that honor and glorify Him. Think about the awesome adventure you are on today. You don't know what the future holds, but choosing to obey God will point you toward reaching the wonderful potential He has for you.

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