Introductory Thoughts:

There are moments in life when a simple decision changes everything. Not the kind of decision you make half-awake, but the kind that settles something deep in your soul—a decision that says, “I am not going back to who I was. I am not living halfway. My mind is made up.”

Many of us are pulled toward a “Jesus plus” religion: Jesus plus philosophy, Jesus plus tradition, Jesus plus self-help and spirituality. It is the ancient version of what we are living through right now—a mixture that leaves us busy but not genuinely transformed. Why do we constantly try to add things to our faith instead of going deeper into its core?

This ancient letter from Paul to the church in Colossae offers a clear path forward. The solution isn’t adding more to our spiritual to-do list, but understanding a few foundational truths that can shift our entire perspective. This post will explore six powerful takeaways from that letter that have the power to change everything.

Takeaway 1: Your New Identity Is a Fact, Not a Feeling.

Christian transformation is rooted in accepting a new identity. Paul begins with the statement, “Since then, you have been raised with Christ.” He presents this as a settled spiritual fact. His resurrection is not just a story you celebrate on Resurrection Sunday; it is a reality that rewrote our history.

This stands in stark contrast to the common struggle of trying to change through sheer willpower. We say, “I guess I am just a mess, a failure, a sinner, that is who I am.” But Paul says, “No, that is who you were.” The power of this idea is that it shifts the focus from striving and self-improvement to resting in a reality that is already true.

We keep trying to behave our way into transformation instead of believing our way into it.

Takeaway 2: You Live Where Your Mind Rests.

Because this new identity is a fact, Paul instructs believers to “set your hearts” and “set your minds on things above.” This is not a call to ignore earthly problems like bills, injustice, or suffering. Rather, it is an instruction to choose a primary focus for your thoughts and desires.

Setting your mind on things above is a daily practice. It means choosing to rehearse God’s promises more than the day’s problems and allowing Scripture to have a louder voice than social media. The power of this discipline is counter-intuitive: our internal state is not a victim of our external circumstances but is actively shaped by our intentional focus.

You live where your mind rests. If your mind stays parked in fear, you will live afraid. If your mind stays parked in bitterness, you will live suspicious and angry.

Takeaway 3: An Eternal Focus Loosens Your Earthly Grip.

Paul’s call to set our minds on things above directly confronts our attachment to the things of this world. We live in a culture that equates worth with what we own, where we live, and what we drive. Our closets are full, but our souls remain restless.

Paul reminds us that the trinkets and traditions of this world will not last. When your mind is made up to live for heaven, you learn to hold earthly things with an open hand. You can enjoy what God has provided without worshipping it. You are free to give generously and serve without reservation, because your true treasure is stored in a place where thieves have no access and rust cannot destroy.

Takeaway 4: The Person You Were Doesn’t Live Here Anymore.

Paul makes a bold statement: “For you died.” This means the old self—the one driven by past habits, guilt, and shame—no longer has authority over you. That part of you was legally judged at the cross.

This truth brings profound freedom. You don’t have to answer the “call from your past” or believe the lie that you’ll “always be this way.” When the enemy whispers that you are defined by your past failures, you can remind him that the old you is buried with Christ. The impact of this is life-altering; it’s not about trying to manage or fix the old self, but about living as someone entirely new.

When old habits knock, you can say, “The person you are looking for does not live here anymore.”

Takeaway 5: Your Real Life Is Hidden, Not Lost.

The letter to the Colossians continues with this assurance: your life is “hidden with Christ in God.” In this context, “hidden” does not mean forgotten or insignificant. It means secure, anchored, and held safely. Your real life is wrapped up in Christ, protected in the hands of God.

This has powerful implications for daily life. It is the reason why external storms can shake you but not uproot you. It is why a failure cannot cancel your future, and why the enemy cannot snatch you away. In unstable times, this knowledge brings a deep and stabilizing peace, assuring you that your ultimate identity and hope are secure in a place nothing can touch.

To be hidden with Christ is to live anchored in a love that does not expire. It is to walk through unstable times with a stable hope.

Takeaway 6: Decision Is More Powerful Than Distraction.

The hinge of this entire passage is the call to make up your mind. A “made up mind” is not a perfect mind that never struggles. It is a “settled mind”—one that has made a firm decision to belong to Jesus and live out this new identity.

The practical result is powerful. When your mind is made up, you are no longer bargaining with disobedience. Temptations and distractions still appear, but they don’t have the final say. Setbacks don’t derail you completely. This reframes personal failure: it’s not about never stumbling, but about getting back up and continuing to walk in the same settled direction.

Conclusion: Your Story Ends in Glory

Paul closes this section with a final, definitive promise: “When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with Him in glory.” This means that your true story doesn’t end with your biggest failure, your deepest struggle, or even death. It ends in glory.

My mind is made up. Not because I am strong, but because Christ has been faithful. My mind is made up to live like someone who has been raised from the dead, to set my heart on things above, to loosen my grip on what is fading and hold tight to what is eternal. When it feels hard, I will remind myself: My life is hidden with Christ. Christ is my life. Glory is my future.

Knowing your future is secure, what one thing would you do differently today if you truly lived as if your mind was made up?