“We come to want to not want what we now want, and to want to not think of what now lives before our mind; and we come to want to be made willing for what we are not now really willing” (Dallas Willard. Renovation of the Heart, page 68).
The mind and heart are forever linked. The heart moves the mind, and the mind follows the heart. Everyone does what they want to do, then they find a reason or excuse for doing it!
Christ is in us when… In our mind we WANT God and the things of God… when we want what God wants. That means our heart naturally desiring His kingdom. Here’s what that sounds like from Scripture. As you read, compare your heart to the Scripture…
Pr 4:23 Keep (Guard {KJV}) your heart with all vigilance, for from it flow the springs of life.
Ro 8:5 Those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit set their minds on the things of the Spirit. 6 To set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace. 7 For the mind that is set on the flesh is hostile to God, for it does not submit to God’s law; indeed, it cannot. 8 Those who are in the flesh cannot please God.
1 Cor 2:16 We have the mind of Christ.
Here’s Paul’s personal description of what this looks like from Phil 3:7-11…
But whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ. 8 Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ 9 and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith— 10 that I may know him and the power of his resurrection, and may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, 11 that by any means possible I may attain the resurrection from the dead.
So what do you want?