Sunday Superposition

Edition #5: Things above, motivation and pleasure

Things above

The spiritual theme for this week is setting your mind on things above.

Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God. When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory. —Colossians 3:2-4

When I’m at my unhappiest, I can almost always identify something I’ve placed above Jesus in my life. Maybe it’s something seemingly benign, like work, fitness, or trying to fix a broken relationship, or maybe it’s something more pernicious. Maybe it’s something so pleasurable that I prioritize it above everything else.

For those of us who are Christian, the problem with having the wrong priorities is that we already know it’s no way to live, because Christ is our life.

If you’re a secular person, it's not as straightforward. But it turns out there is a very good physiological reason why living for pleasure at least is unsustainable.