It’s easy to get distracted by our desires and dreams, or even by conflicts and problems. Besides, there is nothing wrong with working at these earthly things, but on the condition that you have first pursued God, daily.

We all want to know one of the keys to success in our Christian walk, right? It’s a simple theory, but honestly, hard to put into practice: let’s rise above it all. Paul told the Colossians to focus on what is essential. Let us think of the things of Christ and not be distracted by triviality. Let’s rise above it all.

One way to do this is to forgive anyone who has hurt or offended us. “If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. (…) bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive” (Colossians 3:1 and 13 ESV).

The Colossian Christians were growing rapidly and impacting the region. As always, problems were looming and threatening to destroy any momentum there. So Paul asked this young church first to keep their minds focused on things above or on heaven. He also told them to put up with each other and be willing to forgive when others wronged them. Keeping our minds straight and our hearts free from bitterness will make us available to be used by God.

Sometimes it’s hard to rise above all the drama. It can be difficult to keep our minds focused on the things of Christ when we are involved in a conflict. Paul tells us to put up with one another. It means understanding that people are imperfect and will make mistakes. It also means that when people deliberately do things to hurt us, just like Christ, we should forgive them. It frees our minds to focus on the things above. Not doing so clogs our brains and weighs us down.

It might be simplier to sit around and complain about what people have done to us, and we might be justified in doing so, but that would get us nowhere. Our mind is a battlefield in which Satan continually tries to gain a foothold. We allow this to happen when we complain and don’t forgive. Let’s put on the armor of God, and fight with the Word of God and the power of the Holy Spirit. Let’s rise above it all and feel the freedom that comes from focusing on what God has for us.