Having the mind of Christ

I have been thinking a lot about having the mind of Christ. How do we know when we have it or when we don't have it? I think we can think we have it, but we can be wrong. And if we think we have the mind of Christ, then maybe we are in a dangerous spot. I want to always be in need of Him and be aware of that need. My neediness gives God room to do something great for me. I read a lot this week about God raising people from the dead...Jairus' daughter and Lazarus. Both of them were already dead before Jesus arrived. Jesus was aware of what had transpired and the sorrow of the families, even though He wasn't giving them the attention they thought they needed. He revived Lazarus & Jairus' daughter when it seemed too late...they had already been long dead. It sounds to me like it's never too late. I often get caught up in the "It feels too late", "I want to quit", "I can't do this anymore" mentalities. I feel long dead, but if I were alive, I wouldn't need God to perform a miracle on my behalf that would bring Him glory. But now I am waiting in expectation that He will somehow help me through this...either giving me strength a day at a time (thanks for that reminder dad), or by some miracle of revival or deliverance.

Here are the verses I have read about having the mind of Christ:

Rom 1:21 Yes they knew God, but they wouldn't worship him as God or even give him thanks. And they began to think up foolish ideas of what God was like. The result was their minds became dark and confused. Claiming to be wise, they became utter fools instead.

I don't know about you, but I think I have some foolish ideas of what God is like and that has confused me. I know I've listened to some foolish ideas about God that have confused me. And I know other people who are Christians who struggle with the same thing. Part of it is that we don't believe God is who He says He is and we don't believe God can do what He says He can do. (Here's a plug for Beth Moore's Believing God book). I pray that I will have the mind of Christ more and more, but want that that desire never be satisfied in me.

Rom. 8:6-8 If your sinful nature controls your mind there is death. But if the Holy Spirit controls your mind, there is life and peace.

Rom. 7:23-25 But there is another law at work within me that is at war with my mind. This law wins the fight and makes me a salve to the sin that is still within me. Oh, what a miserable person I am! Who will free me from this life that is dominated by sin? Thank God! The answer is in Jesus Christ our Lord.

Tit 1:15-16 Everything is pure to those whose hearts are pure. But nothing is pure to those who are corrupt and unbelieving, because their minds and consciences are defiled. Such people claim they know God, but they deny him by the way they live. They are dispicable and disobedient, worthless for doing anything.

Those are pretty strong words: worthless, dispicable. And there's that word "unbelieving". Now I'm curious what the exact definition of defile is...so let me look it up:

Defile - To make foul, dirty, or unclean, pollute, taint

I take that to mean that if we don't believe God, we are tainted. Our minds are affected in a negative way and our actions too. Don't you think we all have some measure of unbelief? I don't want to deny Him by the way I live. I guess I should pray for the mind of Christ and that I would believe in Him for all things and in all circumstances.