In our spiritual lives there is a battle going on for our mind. Satan and the world seek access to our thoughts through temptation and allurements. St Paul writes often of the mind as a source of our renewal and, by extension, as a kind of battleground:
Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect (Romans 12:2).
Put off your old self which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful desires, and to be renewed in the spirit of your minds (Eph 4:22-23).
We seldom think of our mind as the battleground; more often we think more of the flesh. But the mind is where we “live.” It’s where we deliberate. Most of our feelings come from our thoughts as well. There is an old saying
Sow a thought; reap a deed.
Sow a deed; reap a habit.
Sow a habit; reap a character.
Sow a character; reap a destiny.
It all begins in the mind. The mind is a critical place to keep protected. Keeping custody of the eyes is really keeping custody of the mind.
Where is your mind? Is it on the things that really matter or is it consumed by a thousand other diversions? What has your attention? Who has your attention? Beware, distraction is a chief weapon of the world and of the devil.
I thought of all this when I saw the commercial below. In it, a chef is excitedly designing a website for his new restaurant, but is so distracted and isolated by the “virtual reality” of the Internet that he loses sight of the real world of his restaurant. When he finally emerges from his bubble, almost all is lost. While watching, think of the restaurant as a symbol for the mind. Are we too distracted to notice the damage that is going on in our mind?
And thy own soul a sword shall pierce, that out of many hearts, thoughts may be revealed.