There’s an old saying that goes, “You are what you eat.” But Paul, in his letter to the Colossians, would have added, “You also become what you think.” In Colossians 2:8, he warns, “See to it that no one takes you captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy, which depends on human tradition and the basic principles of this world rather than on Christ.” And later, in 3:2, he adds, “Set your mind on things above, not on earthly things.” Together, those two thoughts form one of the most powerful truths of life: what you feed your mind shapes the person you become.
Every day, your mind eats. It feeds on stories, conversations, music, headlines, and images. The problem is, most of what the modern world serves isn’t healthy. We live in an age of constant input — endless news alerts, social media arguments, and algorithm-driven content designed to keep you anxious, comparing, or entertained. We scroll more than we reflect, consume more than we process, and react more than we rest.
Paul’s words are a gentle warning: Be careful what you let into your inner world. Because your mind is like a garden — whatever you plant there will grow. If you plant fear, you’ll harvest anxiety. If you plant gratitude, you’ll grow peace. If you plant bitterness, you’ll reap unrest. Every thought is a seed, and every seed eventually bears fruit.
Paul used the phrase “taken captive.” That’s strong language — it means being trapped without realizing it. Today, mental captivity often looks like endless worry, self-doubt, comparison, or cynicism. You might not see the chains, but you feel them — the heaviness that keeps you awake at night or steals your joy during the day.
Our thoughts can become prisons when we let the wrong voices rule. Negative thinking convinces us that we’re powerless. Constant comparison convinces us that we’re not enough. Fear convinces us that hope is naive. But Paul says there’s another way — a higher way. “Set your mind on things above.” That doesn’t mean ignoring reality. It means elevating your focus. It’s not about escaping the world; it’s about choosing what kind of world lives inside you.
Every day, thousands of messages try to enter your mind — advertisements, comments, headlines, opinions. You can’t stop them from knocking, but you can choose which ones get to stay. Paul’s words remind us that we are the gatekeepers of our thoughts. You can let in wisdom or worry, faith or fear, truth or lies. The choice is yours. If you allow negativity to camp in your mind long enough, it starts to feel like home. But you can reclaim your space. You can decide that peace is the guest you’ll entertain most often.
A woman once said, “I realized I had been feeding my fear three times a day and my hope only once a week.” That’s what happens to many of us — we feed the wrong thoughts more often than the right ones. The question isn’t whether you’ll feed your mind; it’s what you’ll feed it.
Paul’s call to “set your mind on things above” is a lesson in focus. Whatever you focus on, you magnify. When you constantly focus on what’s wrong, you become more anxious. When you focus on what’s right, you become more peaceful. It’s not denial — it’s direction.
Focus doesn’t remove problems, but it changes how you approach them. It’s like steering a car — you naturally move toward where your eyes are fixed. That’s why focusing on higher values — compassion, truth, peace, and kindness — keeps your life aligned even when the world pulls you off course. Your thoughts are the steering wheel of your soul. Where they turn, your emotions follow.
Imagine two people facing the same difficult season. One spends hours scrolling through negative news, absorbing every worry of the world. The other takes time each day to reflect, breathe, and journal about small blessings. Same situation, two different diets — and two completely different outcomes. The first person feels heavy, anxious, and hopeless. The second feels centered, resilient, and calm. The difference isn’t luck — it’s focus. It’s mental nutrition. One is feeding their anxiety, the other is feeding their strength. Just like your body can’t thrive on junk food, your mind can’t thrive on negativity. It’s not that you should avoid reality; it’s that you should balance it with truth, hope, and gratitude.
Your mind is sacred space — treat it like a home, not a highway. Not every idea deserves to drive through it. Start protecting your mental boundaries. Limit what drains you. Be selective about what you watch, read, and repeat. Don’t let gossip or outrage live rent-free in your thoughts.
Paul’s message isn’t about censorship — it’s about stewardship. Your peace is too valuable to hand over to every passing voice. You are not obligated to entertain every fear that visits. You are not required to believe every thought that appears. Some thoughts come to test you, not define you. So, when a thought enters your mind, ask: Does this bring me peace or poison? If it’s poison, you have permission to let it go.
Paul says, “Set your mind on things above.” Notice the word set. It means intentional positioning. Your mind doesn’t drift upward naturally — it has to be directed. This is where discipline comes in. Higher thinking is a habit, not a feeling. You practice it daily — through reflection, prayer, journaling, or stillness.
When you fill your thoughts with what uplifts you, you naturally rise above what used to drain you. When you choose to see the good, you find more of it. When you choose to believe in peace, your body begins to heal under its influence. The transformation begins quietly — but over time, it becomes visible in your calmness, your kindness, your resilience.
We often underestimate how powerfully our environment shapes us. The voices you listen to, the books you read, the people you spend time with — all of them feed your mental state. That’s why choosing your influences is an act of self-respect. Surround yourself with people who speak hope, not hate. Read words that build your courage, not your cynicism. Watch things that expand your compassion, not your fear. Life is too short to let negativity shape your worldview. Feed your mind the kind of truth that strengthens your heart.
Every day, your mind eats. It feeds on stories, conversations, music, headlines, and images. The problem is, most of what the modern world serves isn’t healthy. We live in an age of constant input — endless news alerts, social media arguments, and algorithm-driven content designed to keep you anxious, comparing, or entertained. We scroll more than we reflect, consume more than we process, and react more than we rest.
Paul’s words are a gentle warning: Be careful what you let into your inner world. Because your mind is like a garden — whatever you plant there will grow. If you plant fear, you’ll harvest anxiety. If you plant gratitude, you’ll grow peace. If you plant bitterness, you’ll reap unrest. Every thought is a seed, and every seed eventually bears fruit.
Paul used the phrase “taken captive.” That’s strong language — it means being trapped without realizing it. Today, mental captivity often looks like endless worry, self-doubt, comparison, or cynicism. You might not see the chains, but you feel them — the heaviness that keeps you awake at night or steals your joy during the day.
Our thoughts can become prisons when we let the wrong voices rule. Negative thinking convinces us that we’re powerless. Constant comparison convinces us that we’re not enough. Fear convinces us that hope is naive. But Paul says there’s another way — a higher way. “Set your mind on things above.” That doesn’t mean ignoring reality. It means elevating your focus. It’s not about escaping the world; it’s about choosing what kind of world lives inside you.
Every day, thousands of messages try to enter your mind — advertisements, comments, headlines, opinions. You can’t stop them from knocking, but you can choose which ones get to stay. Paul’s words remind us that we are the gatekeepers of our thoughts. You can let in wisdom or worry, faith or fear, truth or lies. The choice is yours. If you allow negativity to camp in your mind long enough, it starts to feel like home. But you can reclaim your space. You can decide that peace is the guest you’ll entertain most often.
A woman once said, “I realized I had been feeding my fear three times a day and my hope only once a week.” That’s what happens to many of us — we feed the wrong thoughts more often than the right ones. The question isn’t whether you’ll feed your mind; it’s what you’ll feed it.
Paul’s call to “set your mind on things above” is a lesson in focus. Whatever you focus on, you magnify. When you constantly focus on what’s wrong, you become more anxious. When you focus on what’s right, you become more peaceful. It’s not denial — it’s direction.
Focus doesn’t remove problems, but it changes how you approach them. It’s like steering a car — you naturally move toward where your eyes are fixed. That’s why focusing on higher values — compassion, truth, peace, and kindness — keeps your life aligned even when the world pulls you off course. Your thoughts are the steering wheel of your soul. Where they turn, your emotions follow.
Imagine two people facing the same difficult season. One spends hours scrolling through negative news, absorbing every worry of the world. The other takes time each day to reflect, breathe, and journal about small blessings. Same situation, two different diets — and two completely different outcomes. The first person feels heavy, anxious, and hopeless. The second feels centered, resilient, and calm. The difference isn’t luck — it’s focus. It’s mental nutrition. One is feeding their anxiety, the other is feeding their strength. Just like your body can’t thrive on junk food, your mind can’t thrive on negativity. It’s not that you should avoid reality; it’s that you should balance it with truth, hope, and gratitude.
Your mind is sacred space — treat it like a home, not a highway. Not every idea deserves to drive through it. Start protecting your mental boundaries. Limit what drains you. Be selective about what you watch, read, and repeat. Don’t let gossip or outrage live rent-free in your thoughts.
Paul’s message isn’t about censorship — it’s about stewardship. Your peace is too valuable to hand over to every passing voice. You are not obligated to entertain every fear that visits. You are not required to believe every thought that appears. Some thoughts come to test you, not define you. So, when a thought enters your mind, ask: Does this bring me peace or poison? If it’s poison, you have permission to let it go.
Paul says, “Set your mind on things above.” Notice the word set. It means intentional positioning. Your mind doesn’t drift upward naturally — it has to be directed. This is where discipline comes in. Higher thinking is a habit, not a feeling. You practice it daily — through reflection, prayer, journaling, or stillness.
When you fill your thoughts with what uplifts you, you naturally rise above what used to drain you. When you choose to see the good, you find more of it. When you choose to believe in peace, your body begins to heal under its influence. The transformation begins quietly — but over time, it becomes visible in your calmness, your kindness, your resilience.
We often underestimate how powerfully our environment shapes us. The voices you listen to, the books you read, the people you spend time with — all of them feed your mental state. That’s why choosing your influences is an act of self-respect. Surround yourself with people who speak hope, not hate. Read words that build your courage, not your cynicism. Watch things that expand your compassion, not your fear. Life is too short to let negativity shape your worldview. Feed your mind the kind of truth that strengthens your heart.
Paul knew that the battle for peace begins in the mind. You can’t always choose your circumstances, but you can choose your thoughts about them. Your mind is like soil — if you plant seeds of fear, you’ll grow anxiety. If you plant seeds of love, you’ll grow peace. You can’t grow flowers from poison, and you can’t build peace from panic. So, watch what you feed your mind. Guard it gently but firmly. Fill it with what heals, not what harms. And as you do, you’ll notice your thoughts become calmer. Your reactions become slower. Your heart becomes lighter. That’s the quiet miracle of a mind that’s fed with peace — it starts feeding peace back into the world.
