"The steadfast of mind Thou wilt keep in perfect peace, Because he trusts in Thee. Isaiah 26:3 NAS

When you think of what it means to be steadfast of mind, what kind of picture do you get? Do you get a picture of a tree firmly planted in a terrible storm? That is kind of the picture I get. That of a tree that stays upright in a major storm with strong roots to handle the force of the powerful winds. I also get the picture of a lighthouse with massive waves pounding against it while it still shines the light brightly in the darkness.

The phrase "steadfast of mind" really sticks out at me here. To be steadfast means you are sustained and firmly grounded and immovable. The Hebrew word for steadfast is camak (saw-mak') and means in a primitive root; to prop (literally or figuratively); reflexively, to lean upon or take hold of (in a favorable or unfavorable sense). It also means to bear up, establish, (up-) hold, lay, lean, lie hard, put, restself, setself, stand fast, stay (self), sustain (1).

About being steadfast of mind Barnes' Notes says, "That is, the mind that has confidence in God shall not be agitated by the trials to which it shall be subject; by persecution, poverty, sickness, want, or bereavement (2)." The world has no idea about the sustaining grace we have in Christ. It has no idea about what it means to be steadfast in the Lord. When we rest ourselves upon the immovable rock then we will become steadfast of mind.

How do we become steadfast of mind? For us to be steadfast of mind we need to set our minds on the things above. Colossians 3:2-4 says, "Set your mind on the things above, not on the things that are on earth. For you have died and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ, who is our life, is revealed, then you also will be revealed with Him in glory." Notice it says in verse 4 that Christ is our life. The very first thing we do to become steadfast of mind is to give our lives to Christ. When we give our hearts to Christ we then put on "the mind of Christ (1 Cor 2:16)."

Before Christ came into our lives there was no foundation in our lives and we toppled over when the storms of life hit. The powerful winds of life blew over us and left us a wreck. We weren't grounded firmly and there were no roots to hold us steady in place. We now have the mind of Christ to which we are grounded and sustained. What then can we lean upon and take hold of to keep us steadfast of mind? What bears us up and establishes us? What grows us and waters us to be steadfast of mind?

The answer is very easy, yet seemly for a lot of Christians very hard to maintain. That would be staying in the word of God. Psalms 1:2-3 gives us an example of a man who is steadfast of mind. It says, "But his delight is in the law of the LORD, And in His law he meditates day and night. And he will be like a tree firmly planted by streams of water, Which yields its fruit in its season, And its leaf does not wither; And in whatever he does, he prospers." Today I was reminded of an example of what happens when a young tree is planted.

That tree by itself can grow many directions and even the wrong direction. So how do you make that tree grow into a steadfast tree? You place a stake in the ground next to it and tie the growing tree to the stake. The stake sustains and establishes the young tree to grow in the right direction. It also sustains or props up the tree in heavy wind and rain until the tree is strong enough to hold itself up. We live out being steadfast of mind when we stand fast on His word. We also never grow out of needing the stake His word in our lives to sustain and establish us.

When we are mulling over and chewing on His word through out our day we remember where our strength comes from. The word of God props us up when we are storm torn. Sometimes we may feel like life has used a blowtorch on us and we don't feel steadfast of mind. Rather we feel like we have been in a forest fire. We may be standing upright, but we are all blacked and charred by the damage of a rough day or week or even a month.

Thankfully we can come back to full restoration in seconds when we open the word and let it give us perfect restoration and perfect peace. Trust today that He is working in you, sustaining you and establishing you in His holiness, for His glory. If you’re in a storm then hang onto the stake that is in a firm foundation. That foundation is Jesus Christ who was laid down for us to be “the steadfast of mind.”

Upheld in Christ,
Adam