His Mind, Not Mine
Sometimes clarity doesn’t come until we wipe away the smudges we didn’t know were there.
Devotional Credit: In Christ by E. Stanley Jones
Photo Credit: Unsplash
E. Stanley Jones invites us to examine something we rarely question—our own views. Paul, in Galatians 5:10, expresses confidence that the believers will take “no other view than mine,” because Paul’s view had been aligned with Christ's. But this alignment isn’t something to assume lightly. Just because we’ve surrendered our lives to the Lord doesn’t mean every thought we think carries His imprint. We may be sincere, devout, and even sacrificial—yet still cling to assumptions rooted not in Christ, but in culture, denominational bias, personal history, or simple ignorance.
Jones illustrates this with a poignant example—a pastor who, out of a sincere but misguided view, misunderstood the distinction between the Virgin Birth and the Assumption of Mary. That pastor was sure he was defending truth, but his confusion revealed just how easily we can project our assumptions onto God and call them “His.”
The deeper warning, however, lies not in the obvious mistakes, but in the hidden ones—the subtle theological opinions, the half-truths we’ve baptized as gospel, the traditions we've confused with truth. Even after full surrender, our information and judgment can still mislead us.
So, Jones calls us to live in such intimate identification with Christ that His views become our views. Not by effortful mimicry, but by a yielded mind—transformed by truth, renewed daily by the Spirit. In Christ, we are safe even when our thoughts are incomplete, but the goal of the Spirit is to bring us into increasing alignment with the mind of our Lord.
Journal Entry – Voice of the Holy Spirit Through Scripture
Beloved, you are not asked to generate wisdom—I am your wisdom. You are not expected to perfect your views—I am renewing your mind day by day. You have been given the mind of Christ, not as an intellectual achievement, but as a spiritual reality. When you abide in Me, I shape your judgments, correct your assumptions, and lead you into all truth.
Do not fear when you realize your past thinking was misaligned. My grace covers that. But do not cling to your ideas simply because they are familiar. Yield them. Let Me search you. Let Me shine light into the rooms of your understanding. My Word is living, and I will divide soul from spirit—showing you what is from Me and what is not.
Be careful not to confuse conviction with culture, or devotion with dogma. I do not need your views to defend Me—I only ask that you walk humbly with Me and let Me express My life through you. I dwell in you to guide you into truth, not to let you wander in your own reasoning.
Remain teachable. Be quick to listen and slow to speak. You are safe in Me even as I reframe your understanding. I do not shame you for what you do not know. I simply lead you further into what is true. So remain open, remain yielded, and let Me have your thoughts—for I am the One who leads you into My own.
Scripture References: Galatians 5:10; 1 Corinthians 2:16; Romans 12:2; John 16:13; 1 John 2:27; Hebrews 4:12; Proverbs 3:5–6; Isaiah 55:8–9; 2 Corinthians 10:5; James 1:19; Psalm 139:23–24; Colossians 1:27; Ephesians 1:17–18; Romans 8:6
Real-Life Analogy
It’s like cleaning your glasses after thinking your vision was sharp all day. Only when the smudges are gone do you realize how clouded your sight had been. You didn’t know what you were missing until clarity came. That’s how it works when God exposes a faulty assumption—you weren’t stubborn, just unaware. And now, with clearer lenses, you can see Him and His truth more purely.
Today, if you encounter someone whose perspective differs from yours—especially about spiritual matters—pause before assuming you are right. Whisper inwardly, “Lord, I trust You to think through me and to reveal what’s true as I yield to You in this moment.” That posture of abiding will let Him respond through you—not with pride, but with grace and truth.
Prayer of Confidence
Father, thank You for giving me the mind of Christ. I rest in the truth that I no longer need to figure everything out or defend every view I hold. You are patient with me, and You gently renew my thoughts as I walk with You. Thank You that my security is not in being right, but in being Yours. I trust You to shape my understanding and realign my assumptions as I abide in You. Let Your thoughts rise within me today—thoughts filled with mercy, clarity, and peace. Amen.