The Power of an Uncluttered Mind

“You swing your best when you have the fewest things to think about.” – Bobby Jones

When I play golf, I have a few “swing thoughts” that I keep in the back on my mind and then concentrate on before every shot.

1. Grip the club strongly with the left hand to prevent a slice.
2. Stand up straight and don’t dip.
3. Hit the back of the ball first, not the ground.

If I remember to do these three things and actually pull them off, chances are my shot will go in the general direction of where I aimed. Repeat that process enough times during a round and I will shoot in the low to mid 80s.

An uncluttered mind is a key to athletic success. It is also helpful when it comes to spiritual matters. Here is what Charles Spurgeon, the “Prince of Preachers”, said about spiritual singlemindedness…

“Happy is he who has one desire, if that one desire is set on Christ, though it may not yet have been realized. When a soul desires Jesus, it is a sure indication of divine work within. Such a man will never be content with mere externals. He will say, ‘I want Christ; I must have Him—mere ordinances are of no use to me. I want Himself; do not offer me these; you offer me the empty pitcher, while I am dying of thirst; give me water or I die. Jesus is my soul's desire. I wish to see Jesus!’"

My friend, is knowing Jesus your greatest desire in life? It was for the Apostle Paul (see the Bible passage below).

Meanwhile, I have a single bucket list item in life, other than seeing all six of our precious grandchildren trusting Jesus as their Savior (we’re already halfway there!) Care to guess what it is? If you guessed a golf and sightseeing trip to Scotland, you know me well!

“I want to know Christ and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to Him in His death, and so, somehow, to attain to the resurrection from the dead.” Philippians 3:10-11 (BSB)

- Rev. Dale M. Glading, President