Have you ever used the Screen Time app? Studies show that the average American spends over 7 hours (and maybe more) a day on their phone, TV, or computer! If you haven’t ever used this app, I recommend you try it – it’s sobering.

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Have you ever used the Time app?  Probably not, since it doesn’t exist (For those tech minded entrepreneurs, there’s an idea for you). If it existed, it would measure what you did/thought of each day.

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Here’s an example of what mine might look like at the end of a week (There’s 168 hours in a week and once I take out sleep and work, there’s about 70 hours left to use):

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It’s easy to focus on what I want to focus on – my next trip, my kids and grandkids, the beauty of Alaska, a book I’m reading, my bank account, my next house project, my team, etc.…  Same thing with what I’m required to focus on – work, the driver in front of me, shopping, my next meal, what I’m going to wear, etc. In that list, did you notice how much time I spent on me?

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But what about things above? How many of us spend even 50% of the time we spend looking at a screen thinking about heavenly things? I admit, not me.

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Jesus reminds us in Matthew 6:21 that our heart will be where our treasure is. So, how do we treasure heavenly things more than things of this Earth?

Fortunately, Paul gives us a straightforward way to do what he says in today’s passage (to set our heart on heavenly things). The rest of Colossians 3 has numerous ways to set our hearts on things above. Here is what Paul directs in verses 5-17: “Put to death whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry… Rid yourselves of all such things as these: anger, rage, malice, slander, and filthy language from your lips... Do not lie to each other... As God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience … Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you… Over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity… Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful… Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom through psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts… Whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.”

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Thanks Paul! He gives a challenging command (set our heart on things above), and then he explains how to do it. Seems simple, right? Set your hearts on heavenly things by clothing ourselves with godly things. Be as intentional about your thoughts as you are the clothing you put on each day. If you clothe yourself with these things, your mind will be drawn to heavenly things.

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Here are three practical ways to clothe yourself with heavenly things today:

1. Spend more time in prayer or reading the Bible today than you do on social media.

2. Listen to more Christian music than secular music today.

3. Pick one heavenly virtue to intentionally wear today – compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, patience and/or love.  

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Keep your mind on things above!