A few weeks ago, I stumbled upon a word that made me take a second look. The word was mundane.
I figured it meant ordinary, routine, blah, or ho-hum. And these are correct synonyms (words that mean the same). But actually, Webster’s defines mundane as “of or pertaining to this world or earth as contrasted with heaven.”
Really? This is Webster’s definition? Not a Greek or New Testament definition? YES. In fact, antonyms for mundane (words that mean the opposite) are “exciting, extraordinary, heavenly, and supernatural.”
The reason I looked up this word in the first place was because I heard someone use it to describe how they were feeling about life in general. And interestingly, I’m seeing more and more people caught in this trap. In fact, I’ve felt it’s pull at times as well. But the Bible says, “If then you were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God. Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth” (Colossians 3:1-2).
In other words, the cure for feeling mundane is to change where you’re looking. Read it again… Mundane means of or pertaining to this world as CONTRASTED with heaven. There’s no comparison. To be contrasted means when you set two things side-by-side, there’s an obvious unlikeness or difference —especially in nature and purpose.
This is why it’s a TRAP to set your eyes on the world. The result is mundane. It’s the enemy’s way of lulling the church to sleep through boredom and disillusionment, which if those don’t work by themselves, they often lead to judgments and criticisms, which then opens the door for division and strife. I repeat: IT’S A TRAP.
Set your eyes on things above. Pull yourself out of the ho-hums. Consider Paul’s prayer for the church which says God desires for us to walk in wisdom and revelation “…according to the working of His mighty power which He worked in Christ when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places, FAR ABOVE all principality and power and might and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age, but also in that which is to come” (Ephesians 1:19-21).
There’s a reason God wants us to associate with where Christ is now. When we lift our eyes (and heart) UP, we are automatically ABOVE the trap of mundane and ho-hum. In fact, that’s where we’ll find the EXCITING! The EXTRAORDINARY! The HEAVENLY! And the SUPERNATURAL! But you’ve first got to recognize the trap. And then, you’ve got to “Set your mind [and keep it set] on what is above (the higher things), not on things that are on the earth” (Amplified).
For every earthly problem, God has given us a spiritual solution.
Look up. Change your perspective. Get out of the trap as fast as you can!
