It is easy to spend most of our time thinking about earthly things. We think about bills, schedules, problems, success, money, relationships, opinions, and what other people are doing. None of these things are always wrong in themselves, but they can quickly become the center of our attention. Before we know it, our minds are crowded with temporary worries, and God’s eternal truth gets pushed to the side.
That is why Colossians 3:2 says, “Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things.” In plain language, Paul is saying, “Don’t let this world decide what matters most to you. Keep your heart and mind fixed on Christ.” This does not mean we ignore real life or stop caring about our responsibilities. It means we learn to see everyday life through the lens of God’s kingdom.
Earthly things are often loud and urgent. They demand our attention right now. They tell us that our worth comes from what we own, how we look, how much we achieve, or how others see us. But heavenly things remind us of what lasts forever: God’s love, Christ’s sacrifice, forgiveness, holiness, compassion, humility, patience, and the hope we have in Him.
Paul was writing to believers who were being pulled in different directions by false teachings, human traditions, and worldly ways of thinking. His message was simple: remember who you belong to. If you have been raised with Christ, then your life is no longer defined by the old way of living. Your identity is hidden with Christ in God, which means your life is secure in Him even when the world feels unstable.
Setting our minds on things above is a daily choice. It means choosing prayer instead of panic. It means opening Scripture instead of letting every headline, post, or opinion shape our thinking. It means asking, “What honors God?” before asking, “What benefits me?” It means remembering that this life is temporary, but our walk with Christ has eternal value.
This kind of heavenly focus changes how we live on earth. It affects how we treat people, how we handle disappointment, how we use our money, how we respond to conflict, and how we make decisions. When our minds are fixed on Christ, we become less controlled by fear, pride, greed, comparison, and temporary pleasure. We begin to desire what God desires.
To be clear, focusing on heavenly things does not make us useless in the real world. It actually helps us live better in the real world. A person who is focused on Christ can love more deeply, forgive more freely, give more generously, and stand more firmly when life gets hard. Heaven-minded people should be some of the most faithful, grounded, and compassionate people on earth.
So today, we can ask ourselves: What has been taking up the most space in my mind? Is it worry, status, money, entertainment, resentment, or the approval of others? Or am I making room for God’s Word, His presence, His purpose, and His promises?
May we learn to lift our eyes above the temporary things that compete for our attention and fix our hearts on Christ, who is our life. The more we focus on Him, the more clearly we will see everything else.
Minister A Francine Green I June 2026