His brothers were jealous of him, but his father kept the matter in mind. (Genesis 37:11)

Jacob “kept the matter in mind.” The matter at hand concerned Jacob’s sons. His favored son, Joseph, just shared dreams with his brothers. The dreams seemed to indicate Joseph’s authority over his brothers, who weren’t happy about it. Jacob chastised Joseph but then “kept the matter in mind.” The New Century Version says Jacob “thought about what all these things could mean.” He verbally dismissed what Joseph said but continued to think about it.

What matters do you keep in mind? It’s often important for us to respond to a situation immediately. We do our best to respond in truthfulness and faithfulness. The more intimate we are with God, the more readily we hear and respond to His voice, keeping us in His will when we’re obedient. However, we’re human. We err. Sometimes we respond but then question the accuracy of our response. We re-evaluate our decisions and responses at a deeper level.

Keeping a matter in mind isn’t about being consumed with a situation to the point of being paralyzed. When God highlights something for our attention, He has no intention on us becoming stuck in a situation. God is always for growth, and growth requires motion. Keeping a matter in mind involves moving forward, continuing to respond in the best way possible given the facts we have. We continue to look at the facts we’ve already gathered as well as those we’re in the process of gathering. When God compels us to keep the matter in mind, we can be assured He has something to reveal to us along the way, and it will likely change the way we respond in the future.

What are the top three things consuming your mind today? Are they the top things God wants to be consuming your mind?

Ask God to replace your thoughts with His. As you yield to Him, expect Him to renew your heart and mind.