Taking Your Thoughts Captive

René Descartes, born on this day near Tours, France in 1596, was a brilliant child, entering college when he was just eight. Because of poor health, he was permitted to remain in bed until 11 o’clock each morning, a habit he maintained throughout his life.

His diverse career included a law degree and a stint in the Bavarian army. Through extensive travels, he made many contacts before settling down in Holland in 1628. Because of his ideas and influences, he has been called the father of modern philosophy. He also revolutionized mathematics by applying algebra to geometry, leading to principles still taught in schools worldwide.

Descartes is best remembered for one of history’s most famous quotes, “I think, therefore I am” (from a book he published in 1637). He was obsessed with thinking. Historian Kenneth Clark observed that, early in life, Descartes “discovered that all he wanted to do was to think.” One morning, when friends came to visit, they found him in bed. They asked what he was doing, and he replied: “Thinking!”

Yes, as Descartes discovered, thinking is important. God has given us incredibly complex minds so we can think, reason, learn, and understand. But it can be easy to depend on our own reasoning and focus on what we think. Although God wants us to think and develop our minds, we must remember that our spiritual lives are even more crucial. As Paul reminds us, we need to take “every thought captive to the obedience of Christ.”

Today, ask God to give you greater wisdom and understanding and help you think more clearly. Fill your mind with His Word. Let it guide you. Make it the basis for your thoughts. Submit all your thoughts to Him.