Mind Drift

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It happened to me again this morning. I was sitting at my desk, Bible open in front of me, when suddenly I realized my mind had wandered off without asking my permission. Very rude.

One moment, I was halfway through Psalm 1. The next, I was mentally replaying a conversation I had three days ago. Then I was thinking about the laundry. Then, somehow, I was wondering how many eggs we had left in the fridge. It’s like my brain has its own “explore” button, and sometimes I’m not even the one pressing it.

And I don’t think I’m alone in this.

It’s been said that what we focus on, we become. Kind of like “you are what you eat”, but elevated.

With this in mind, take a moment to think about how you start your day.

When you wake up in the morning, what are the very first thoughts that enter your mind? Do you think about how your day might play out? Is there a to-do list running before your feet hit the floor? A worry that has been living rent-free in your head for weeks?

At night, when you finally slow down, think about what fills that space before you fall asleep. Is it prayer? Gratitude? Regret? Hope? Fear?

And maybe most telling of all, when your mind wanders during menial tasks throughout the day with nothing forcing your attention in a particular direction, where does it naturally drift?

In the very first psalm, we read about the person whose inner life is anchored in the right place:

“Their delight is in the law of the Lord,and on his law they meditate day and night.”

(Psalm 1:2 NRSV)

If you’ve spent any amount of time around church, you’ve heard this before. We already know the list:

• read your Bible

• spend time in prayer

• memorize Scripture

• have a daily “quiet time” or devotional reading and bonus points if you do it in the morning!

These are the “greatest hits” of any super Christian and just some of the many spiritual practices described or prescribed throughout the Bible (for more on that click HERE for a previous post!).

We don’t really need the reminder. Like brushing our teeth or buckling our seatbelt, we already know what we ought to do.

The bigger question is, why? Why engage in spiritual practices? If it’s only to get the proverbial monkey off our backs or incur the favor of God, we needn’t bother. 

For one thing, God isn’t fooled by performance. He can see right through that and will quickly tell us, in the wise words of Shania, “that don’t impress me much.”

For another, the things we dwell on most inevitably shape us into who we are becoming. It’s the difference between transactional faith and transforming faith.

• Transactional faith says, “I show up on Sunday, I check my prayer box, I do my part so God will do his.”

• Transforming faith says, “I’m letting God reshape the way I think, love, and live. Not just once when I prayed a prayer in Sunday school, but day after day, choice after choice.”

  
  

The Bible calls this renewing our minds (Romans 12:2).

But renewal doesn’t happen just because we want it to.

It happens when we give God repeated, ongoing access to our thoughts, our attention, and our desires.

Think of it like tending a garden. It’s not enough to toss in some fertilizer in the spring and expect a full harvest all summer. You need ongoing water, sunlight, pruning—day after day. Otherwise, weeds will take over by default.

The same is true for our minds. If we’re not intentionally filling them with God’s truth, the weeds of fear, distraction, comparison, and bitterness grow all on their own. That’s our default.

Unfortunately, transactional faith can transplant into transactional relationships with one another other. The result is that even the people we love most can experience us through transactional “if/then” exchanges:

• If you clean your room, then you can have screen time.

• If you behave at this function, I’ll take you somewhere you like.

• If you eat your brussel sprouts, then you can have dessert.

(Ok ok… I’ve stopped trying with the sprouts. You get it.)

Friend, God isn’t like this. He’s not tracking us on a points chart to determine whether we’ve earned a little blessing.

No. His desire is for our hearts. It always has been and it always will be.

That’s why when the law was first instituted in the Old Testament with its collection of a whopping 613 commands paired with an extensive sacrificial system, the goal was never just the rituals.

All of it was meant to orient our hearts toward him, the One who loved us first.

“We love because he first loved us.” (1 John 4:19 NIV)

Remember, Psalm 1 starts by describing those who are happy because they don’t get tangled up with the wrong crowd, but delight in God’s law and meditate on it day and night.

So what exactly happens to those happy people? The psalm continues by painting a vivid picture comparing them to flourishing trees. 

“They are like treesplanted by streams of water,which yield their fruit in its season,and their leaves do not wither. In all that they do, they prosper.”

(Psalm 1:3 NRSV)

I love this picture because I can really see it. Can you?

A strong, rooted tree, leaves shimmering in the breeze, its roots drinking deeply from an endless water source. Imagine the smell of a fresh water stream. The sound of leaves rustling in the wind. The cool shade on a blazing hot day.

That’s the life God invites us into.

Did you catch it though? This tree isn’t flourishing because it is naturally strong. It’s flourishing because it’s planted in the right place.

This may or may not be an example from my personal life, but, contrast that with a potted plant sitting on your front porch. It might look great for a week or two, but if you forget to water it, it wilts fast. Same plant. Different environment. 

Our hearts and minds are like that. It’s not about having the “right” personality or  even stronger willpower than the next person, it’s all about what we are rooted in and what we are drawing from daily.

And to draw from Psalm 1 again: it’s the beautiful result of meditating on the Law of the Lord day and night. So that come what may, we don’t just survive, but prosper. Thrive. Flourish.

No Shortcuts. Just Simple Steps.

The bad news is, there’s no shortcut to this kind of flourishing. No “five-minute hack” or “spiritual cheat code.”

The good news is, it doesn’t take much and it doesn’t require perfection. Just a willing heart. A heart that chooses Jesus. 

And when we do, when we choose Jesus as our focus — in our waking, our sleeping, and our wandering thoughts — something begins to shift. We start to look more like him.

As image-bearers, we were created to reflect God long before ever choosing to apprentice under the life and teaching of Jesus.

So if you can’t get past your anxious thoughts, your anger problems, or your bad habits, consider shifting focus off of those things and meditate on the Law of the Lord instead. Such a great place to start.

Meditating Day and Night, Without Becoming a Monk

Real talk: When I hear “meditate day and night,” my first thought is, Well, that sounds delightful, but also, impossible.

I still have dishes, emails, and those eggs to check on.

But biblical meditation isn’t about sitting cross-legged in silence all day. It’s about weaving God’s truth into the fabric of our daily lives so it keeps coming back to mind no matter what we’re doing.

The Distraction Problem

Of course, getting there is the challenge because distraction is a huge problem. Our minds have plenty of competition for their attention:

• Endless notifications.

• News headlines that spark anger or fear.

• Social media scrolls that leave us comparing or dissatisfied.

• Mental replays of old conversations and future what-ifs.

  
  

And yet, God’s invitation is the same: Let your mind drift toward Me. Let My words be the soundtrack in your head. Let My truth set the tone for your day before any other voice gets a chance to derail you.

Pro-Tips from a Lifelong Learner

1. Start small and stay consistent

   Choose one verse and focus on it for several days. Keep it on a sticky note, on your phone’s lock screen, or by your bedside so you see it morning and night.

   
   

2. Pair Scripture with your existing habits

   Listen to the Bible on audio while getting ready, commuting, or walking the dog. Pray over your coffee before the first sip.

   
   

3. Make it visible and accessible

   Keep your Bible open in a spot you’ll pass often, or set reminders on your phone to read the verse or psalm you’ve chosen for that season.

   
   

4. Clear the mental clutter

   Remove or limit apps and distractions that pull your focus away from God. Create moments of quiet so your thoughts can drift toward him.

   
   

5. Practice mini-moments with God

   Whisper a prayer in the checkout line, thank him while doing chores, or repeat your verse during a walk—any short interaction matters.

   
   

6. Surround yourself with “propellers”

   Build relationships with people who challenge and encourage you in your walk with God, and consider inviting one trusted friend to help keep you accountable.

The Life You’re Growing Toward

Now friend, I encourage you to take a moment and picture yourself as that Psalm 1 tree: rooted, steady, flourishing in every season.

The kind of person whose life naturally bears fruit with patience in the middle of delays, peace in the middle of uncertainty, generosity in the middle of need.

It’s not just poetic imagery here.

It’s the practical result of what happens when you train your mind to drift towards Jesus when it would rather to wander anywhere and everywhere else. You don’t have to get there overnight. You just have to take one step today toward planting yourself by the right stream.

Because in the end, the most important thing about you may just be where your mind goes when it’s free to go anywhere.

What’s in the Ears

This is the part where I share a song or podcast I’m currently into. The name of the song is Psalm 1 by Poor Bishop Hooper. Originally recommend by Tim Mackie of The Bible Project! So you know it’s a good one. The song is soft and folksy and has been on repeat as I wrote this post. Enjoy!

If this stirred something in you, share this post with a friend or drop a comment below. I’d love to hear what small step you’re taking towards the flourishing life today! And don’t forget to subscribe so you don’t miss a thing.

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