Last week I talked about the Good Samaritan as an example of how we read through Scripture the good we want to do, and see how it should be done, but we often fall short when it comes to practicing that good and doing it to our neighbor. We call this the Goodness Gap, and we saw that when we do certain specific and intentional practices we can actually work with the Spirit’s transformational work to rewire or renew our minds to actually be more empathetic, compassionate, grateful, mindful, forgiving, and trusting in our love for our neighbor.
Today I want to talk about Mindfulness in Christianity, because while we can easily and clearly see virtues like compassion, gratefulness, forgiveness, and trust all throughout scripture, and they are even named, but we often struggle with the idea of mindfulness. In fact, if you did a word search for the word mindfulness in the Bible, you won’t find it. You also won’t find the term, “Trinity”, but we know that the idea is there. We know that the Trinity is a Scriptural truth. So what do we make of “mindfulness” as Christians?
For that matter, what is mindfulness? Isn’t that just a new-age term? Perhaps that’s why we sort of get our defenses up when we hear the word, because it’s been used by the world to mean something secular and sometimes even against God’s words. So let’s define mindfulness in the way that we see it displayed throughout Scripture.
Mindfulness, the way we understand it in Scripture is this: the ACQUIRED capacity to give your attention to the present moment, and AWARENESS, especially of my impact on others around me. We can break that down a little bit to fully grasp it, that mindfulness is not something that comes naturally, that we must work at becoming more mindful. We understand that it means that when we are more mindful, we are able to fully engage in the moment that we find ourselves in, like a conversation with a friend, or the sermon that the pastor is preaching. Have you ever found yourself thinking about something else when you’re supposed to be having a conversation with someone? Like what you’re going to say in response? Or what time you last ate? Or how tired you feel? Have you ever struggled with praying out loud with others because you’re too busy thinking about the words you have to say when it’s your turn to pray, instead of just being able to be in the Spirit and in agreement with what others are praying. Without developing the ability to be mindful and present in a moment, your mind wanders.
We also understand that mindfulness is a developed ability to be aware of how we impact those around us. Is my tone of voice abrasive? Am I being offensive and putting the person I’m speaking with on the defense so they’re not going to hear what I’m really trying to say? How does it affect my kids when I have a bad attitude? How does it affect my relationship with my spouse when I’ve had a bad day? This is mindfulness the way we see it in Scripture.
Why do Christians need mindfulness? Let’s look at the Bible. Let’s start in the Psalms, Psalm 19:14, “May these words of my mouth and this meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight, Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer.” (NIV) The Psalmist’s prayer here is that the words of his mouth and the things his heart meditates on or dwells on, would be pleasing to God. This is the desire of my heart as well, and I would pray that it is the desire of every Christian’s heart. We want what we say and think and feel to be pleasing to the Lord. Is that going to happen all the time? No. But, we can practice being more mindful so we are more aware of what we say, and think, and feel, so that we know when those things are not pleasing to the Lord in a moment, we can repent, and do better next time.
1 Corinthians 10:24 says this, “No one should seek their own good, but the good of others.” (NIV) By developing and practicing mindfulness, Christians can get better and making sure that the words we say to others do the most good to them. We need mindfulness in a moment to see our impact on others, to be aware of what they seem to be feeling, and then to be able to speak words that will do the most good to them.
Let’s next look at the story recorded in Luke 7:11-17, “Soon afterward, Jesus went to a town called Nain, and his disciples and a large crowd went along with him. 12 As he approached the town gate, a dead person was being carried out—the only son of his mother, and she was a widow. And a large crowd from the town was with her. 13 When the Lord saw her, his heart went out to her and he said, “Don’t cry.” 14 Then he went up and touched the bier they were carrying him on, and the bearers stood still. He said, “Young man, I say to you, get up!” 15 The dead man sat up and began to talk, and Jesus gave him back to his mother. 16 They were all filled with awe and praised God. “A great prophet has appeared among us,” they said. “God has come to help His people.” 17 This news about Jesus spread throughout Judea and the surrounding country.” (NIV)
We have this touching story of a widow who’s only son had died, and they were carrying him out of the town to bury him. Jesus sees the sight, and, being the mindful person that was, is fully present in the moment. He was on His way to this town, though we don’t know why. But He had been moving through the countryside ministering to the hurt and broken, so no doubt He was looking for an opportunity to do just that. Mindfulness, being able to give His attention to the present moment, and to be aware of the impact He had on others around Him, moved Jesus to an act of compassion toward the grieving widow. We need to develop mindfulness so we can OBSERVE how a person is feeling and discern their needs in the present moment.
Next, let’s look at Mark 14:33-34, “He took Peter, James and John along with Him, and He began to be deeply distressed and troubled. 34 “My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death,” He said to them. “Stay here and keep watch.” And Galatians 6:2, “Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.” (NIV)
The passage in Mark has a touching scene between Jesus and three disciples, Peter, James, and John. He was distressed, and felt overwhelmed in His soul, even to the point of death. He was inviting these disciples to come into His feelings, to be made aware of His feelings and thoughts, and share His burden, just like Paul would later encourage Christians to do. He needed them in that moment of despair and sorrow. He asked them to stay there with Him and keep watch while He prayed. Had these disciples been more mindful of their impact on Jesus, and had they developed the capacity to give their attention to the present moment, they would have done just as Jesus asked and they would have kept watch and prayed. But they weren’t very mindful of what was going on in the moment, and they weren’t very aware of what Jesus needed from them in that moment. We need mindfulness to be able to share our burdens with others, and have them share their burdens with us.
Finally, we’re going to look at Galatians 6:10, “Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers.”, and Luke 12:33-34, “Sell your possessions and give to the poor. Provide purses for yourselves that will not wear out, a treasure in heaven that will never fail, where no thief comes near and no moth destroys. 34 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”, and James 1:27, “Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.”, and lastly Ephesians 2:10, “For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.” (NIV)
All four of these passages have a single thing in common, each of these talks about the thing that we were created to do, to do good to others, to seek what is good for each person, to do good deeds, to not only think of ourselves and what is best for me, me, me, but to think of others more than myself. How can we do this if not for mindfulness? We need mindfulness so we don’t get caught up in our selfishness. We need mindfulness to be able to “tune-in” to the people and circumstances around us. We need mindfulness to be able to be present enough in any moment to extend the love of Christ the way we were created to do.
I see mindfulness displayed greatly in Ecclesiastes 3. Here, the teacher says that everything has its time, a time to die, and a time to be born. A time to tear down and a time to build. A time to search and a time to give up, etc. And he also reminds us that though we are meant to enjoy the gifts God has given us in each and every day, that chasing after things that we ultimately have no control over is like chasing after smoke and trying to grab it. Everything has its time. Chasing wealth, food, pleasure, wisdom, popularity, friends, family, work, all of it is useless because one minute you have it and can enjoy it, and the next it’s gone. Hold on loosely, is the message of Ecclesiastes.
Mindfulness helps us do this. It helps us appreciate and enjoy the gifts that God has put right in front of us at any present moment. It helps us really participate and engage with people who are right here and right now, and remember to share the love of Christ with them while they are right here, because there may not come another time. Mindfulness helps us stay in the moment, and be glad in it, to grab it and seize it, because it may be all we get. We need mindfulness as Christians, not as the world might understand it, but as Scripture shows us.
Questions to form your quiet time:
1. How do these passages show Jesus’s mindfulness toward others, and even Himself? Matthew 14:13-14; John 11:35; Mark 1:35; Luke 6:12-13; Matthew 14:13
2. Devote 20-40 minutes of your time this week to being in the beauty of God’s creation. Go outside. Take a nature walk. Go to the mountains. Go to the Botanical Gardens. Go to a park. Turn off all distractions (cell phone, gadgets, etc.). Allow yourself to just focus on the wonder and inspiration of God’s creation all around you. How does it feel to slow down and become more aware of the beauty of God’s creation in the moment? What does that do for your spiritual cup?
3. Read Proverbs 4:23. What does this have to do with self-awareness (mindfulness of yourself)?