As the year continues, the focus and goals we might have had at the beginning of the year might be waning.
That’s why it’s a great time to reevaluate where you are in life, and reset by refocusing your mind on God’s truth.
These Bible verses for March will help us focus on the transformation we can have through the Word of God.
It can be easy to be distracted and persuaded by what other people want us to believe. Let’s spend time this month focusing on the spiritual renewal we can find as children of God.
Don’t miss the free 31-day printable Bible Reading Plan on Refocusing on God’s truth! We have a link for it at the end of the post.
Bible Verses for March: Focusing on God’s Truth
Our thoughts influence our attitude and actions so much. And often, our thoughts spring from what we consume or experience.
Taking time each day to focus on God’s Word through the Bible can reset our hearts and influence our minds to be set on Christ.
These Bible verses for March, or anytime of the year, can be a great opportunity to refocus on our beloved Christ Jesus and our Christian walk.
Setting our Mind on Christ
Our natural inclinations seem good to us, but can get us in trouble. At first, our decisions might seem right, but one small wrong turn can take us far off track.
If you take a long trip in more rural parts of where you live, missing an exit might mean waiting another 15 minutes for another exit until you can turn around on the interstate, then driving 15 minutes in the opposite direction to get back to where you should be.
These detours can be discouraging. We all take them in our spiritual life, but we can try to avoid these detours by studying the “map” – that is, the Word of God.
Romans 8:5 reminds us where we should be focusing on thoughts.
Romans 8:5 “For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit.”
Ralph Waldo Emerson has been quoted as saying, “You become what you think about all day long.” There is some truth to that, as if we focus our thoughts on planning or celebrating our sin, we are much more likely to sin again.
If we are only concerned with the things of the world, and focus our thoughts on that, we are more likely to live according to the flesh.
Yet, if we want to live a faithful Christian life, we must focus on the things of the Spirit, concerning ourselves with glorifying God.
”But I live in the real world,” you might say. “I have to think about running errands and my career and my family. How can I live a life just thinking of the Spirit?”
Thinking about those things aren’t ungodly or sinful. However, God wants us to put Him at the center of our lives and put everything else under that, subject to Him.
Running errands, career, family, and other concerns become opportunities to serve the Lord. Putting our focus on God can help us reject some of the things we shouldn’t worry about or concern ourselves with.
We are also called to love God with all of our mind.
Matthew 22:37 “Jesus said to him, “‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.’Deuteronomy 6:5”
Jesus named this as one of the greatest commandments, that we should love God with everything we have. One important component of that is our mind.
An important part of that is refocusing our mind toward that which glorifies the Lord, and not dwelling on things that don’t.
We have freedom to think about a number of things, but not all of them will benefit our minds. Focus on worthy thoughts that glorify God.
Philippians 2:5 ESV “Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus.”
This is the beginning of a passage that talks about how Jesus did not demand His due on earth as the Son of God, but instead served others, even to the point of death on the cross.
But what is interesting here is that this verse tells us that this mindset and attitude is available to us through Christ Jesus. We don’t have to strive on our own; we have access to this strength of mind through Jesus.
By the power of the Holy Spirit, our thoughts can be renewed and transformed. John 14:26 reminds us of this truth.
John 14:26 “But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things, and will remind you of all that I said to you.”
We are not alone in our walk with God. As children of God, the Holy Spirit lives within us. He can remind us of what we know to be true. He will walk with us as we look to renew our minds in Him.
Philippians 4:8 “Finally, brothers, whatever things are true, whatever things are honorable, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report: if there is any virtue and if there is any praise, think about these things.”
We have so many opportunities to focus on bad news, and the world gives us many, many opportunities to do just that. In this world of 24/7 news, it can be challenging to see anything but negative news.
While we aren’t to stick our heads in the sand – Jesus certainly didn’t – we should spend time thinking about this beautiful list of characteristics from Philippians 4. Our Lord is all those things, so that is one place to start!
Guarding Your Heart and Mind with God’s Truth
It can be tempting to let our guard down when we are tired or upset or any number of reasons. But we must always be guarding our thoughts.
1 Peter 5:8 ESV reminds us that the devil “prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.” Verse 9 tells us to resist him, firm in our faith.
One excellent way to resist is to guard our heart and mind with God’s Word. Whether it is through reading His Word, memorizing it, listening to it, or singing it, we have this excellent tool to combat these struggles.
We see in Psalm 19:14 a reflection of our desire to please God with our thoughts.
Psalm 19:14 ESV “Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in your sight, O Lord, my rock and my redeemer.”
We want our words and thoughts to honor God. It is but one small thing we can do to honor the One who brought us salvation.
Proverbs 4:23 “Keep your heart with all diligence, for out of it is the wellspring of life.”
This scripture reminds us that our heart needs to be guarded carefully, for out of it is the “wellspring of life” – that is, everything else flows from it, including our thoughts.
This is one reason it is so important that God is number one in our heart. We can have room for other people or even things, but He is above all.
Colossians 2:8 “Be careful that you don’t let anyone rob you through his philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the elements of the world, and not after Christ.”
Even back in Apostle Paul’s day, people were trying to sell their own way of thinking, that glorified themselves or something else besides God. It’s still very true today.
What if this Bible verse popped up when we opened a social media app or website? It could remind us that we must be wise as we navigate what others want to tell us.
It’s been said that the best lies have a kernel of truth to them. They sound true, but they aren’t ultimately true. This is why we should always be on our guard when we are evaluating if something is true and deserves our further thoughts.
Even in our own Christian communities, we should always compare what we are being told to the Word of God.
Proverbs 3:5 ESV “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding.”
Our own understanding will lead us astray. We are not God. We are redeemed; we are not perfect. We must trust in God and not ourselves. His wisdom is far better than ours.
Jeremiah 17:9-10 ESV “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately sick; who can understand it? “I the Lord search the heart and test the mind, to give every man according to his ways, according to the fruit of his deeds.”
We must guard our heart not only from the devil, from human philosophies, but also from ourselves. We must trust God first. Trusting in what our heart feels can not be our number one guidance.
It is important not only to be keeping out what hurts our walk with God, but to be taking in that which helps us walk closer to Him.
That is why daily scripture reading and study is so important, so that we can be thinking about and meditating on Biblical truth.
Matthew 6:22-23 “The lamp of the body is the eye. If therefore your eye is sound, your whole body will be full of light. But if your eye is evil, your whole body will be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in you is darkness, how great is the darkness!”
What we take inside of ourselves, what we cherish and think and value, will reflect to others. Value God’s Word by spending time studying the Bible.
Overcoming Negative Thoughts Through Christ
These negative thoughts, of sin or other wrong thinking, can hinder us as we try to walk with Christ. But we aren’t powerless in trying to conquer thoughts that are destructive to our walk with Him.
2 Corinthians 10:5 “Throwing down imaginations and every high thing that is exalted against the knowledge of God and bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ.”
We don’t have to leave our thoughts unanswered. We can instead stop our thinking, praying that the Lord would change our thinking. That prayer might look something like this:
”God, You know that I am struggling with this line of thought right now. Please take this thought captive and keep it away from me. I thank You that I am not powerless, but Your Spirit lives and works in me. Please fill my heart and mind with what You have for me right now. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.”
In addition, it can also be helpful to “change the subject” in your mind by focusing on something else, such as a Bible verse, a song, or something uplifting that you enjoy.
We see in Romans 13:14 that we shouldn’t make space or give opportunity to our sin.
Romans 13:14 “But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, for its lusts.”
This can mean not allowing ourselves to focus on sin – what we enjoyed about it, how we can find another opportunity, how we can possibly justify it. We should instead put on the Lord Jesus Christ.
One way we do that is put on our spiritual armor of God, as seen in Ephesians 6. This passage points out that one of our defenses in the spiritual battle for our mind is the Word of God.
Ephesians 6:17 “And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.”
While some people see the Word of God as merely a book, it is so much more than that! Read what Hebrews 4 has to say.
Hebrews 4:12 “For the word of God is living and active, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and is able to discern the thoughts and intentions of the heart.”
Another way we can be encouraged in the challenges we have with our thoughts is to focus on what God, in all His love, will provide.
2 Corinthians 4:16 “Therefore we don’t faint, but though our outward person is decaying, yet our inward person is renewed day by day.”
We may feel weak, especially if our body is weak. Yet God strengthens us each day. We can fix our eyes on what is unseen, and eternal, instead of focusing on the things that we do see, and are temporary. (v. 18)
Isaiah 55:8-9 ESV “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.”
Isn’t it wonderful that God is not limited to what we could ever think or imagine? We need to stop trying to bring God down to our level, and instead look at Him from our place of worship of Him.
We can trust in God’s ways, even when we are struggling.
You may have read to this point, and have this response: I want to change how I think, but I just can’t do it. I’ve tried before.
There is hope! Consider these strategies and see if they work for you.
- Spend time actually reading the Bible. We can spend more time thinking about reading the Bible than actually reading it and reflecting on what God is saying to us. You can pick up the download below of the 31-day reading plan about refocusing your mind on God’s truth, but by far, it isn’t the only way to read the Bible. You can start by reading the book of John, one chapter a day, or you can find other Bible reading plan options.
- Spend time with other Christians. We aren’t meant to do Christianity alone. Spending time with other believers is a great way to be encouraged in your walk with God. Going to church can set your mind on heavenly things, as you experience more of God’s Word through sermons, Bible study, worship, and more.
- Find a trusted Christian counselor to help you through changing your thought life. Whether it’s lifelong thought patterns that are difficult to break, or small or large traumatic incidents that make it difficult to think the way you want to think, a Christian counselor can be helpful in providing tools to reset your way of thinking.
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Renewing Your Mind Daily
There are some decisions that are made with great consideration, but don’t need to be continually revisited. For example, if you are a parent, you don’t choose what your child’s name is everyday. A handful of people change their child’s name, but it’s a decision that lies in the past.
Other choices must be made every day. Hopefully some are good habits that don’t need to be reevaluated each day. That can include brushing your teeth, eating meals, and bathing.
As part of our spiritual health, we need to be making a decision to renew our mind daily. One of the best ways to do this is to be in God’s Word. It reminds us of God’s truth and puts our mind on Him.
Here are powerful scriptures about renewing our mind daily in Christ Jesus.
Romans 12:2 “Don’t be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what is the good, well-pleasing, and perfect will of God.”
God uses Bible study and prayer to help us to renew our mind in Him each day.
The world is persistent and persuasive. If you are not grounding yourself in the Lord each day, it is extremely difficult not to be influenced by worldly ways of thinking.
Even Jesus spent a lot of time in prayer during His earthly ministry! We have even more reason to do the same, to help our hearts be in line with God’s heart and not the world’s priorities.
Psalm 119:11 “I have hidden your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you.”
There are people who spend a couple of hours each day in prayer and Bible study. That is wonderful for them, and it should be something that we can aspire to.
But a typical Christian who has daily devotions doesn’t usually have that much time in their day. However, memorizing scripture can be a great way to extend your Bible time beyond your quiet time.
One excellent method of hiding God’s Word in your heart is memorizing Scripture. When you have Bible verses ready in your mind, you always have them with you.
This article on scripture memorization gives you a great list of do’s and don’ts, as well as a simple way to get started, from the author of How to Memorize Scripture for Life.
Spending time with God’s Word is one step; applying it to your life is an important additional step.
James 1:21 NLT “So get rid of all the filth and evil in your lives, and humbly accept the word God has planted in your hearts, for it has the power to save your souls.”
The New Living Translation’s version of this scripture paints an excellent word picture of God planting His life-saving Word in our hearts. Abandoning our sin and accepting God’s Word is God’s will for us as Christians.
These verses are part of the 31 day reading plan for March, or any 31 days you want to focus on reading about the Bible’s power in your life. Read on for more information on how you can pick up the free printable download of this reading plan!
31 Day Reading Plan: Refocus Your Mind on God’s Truth
Get your free printable download of a 31 Day Bible Reading Plan on refocusing your mind on God’s truth in our Gumroad store.
Using this plan can be an effective way to start a daily Bible study routine, try your hand at scripture writing, or have a daily Bible verse to share.
Additionally, it can serve as a source of inspiration for Bible journaling, prayer Bibles, and family devotional activities.
If it isn’t the month of March, don’t worry! We also have included it as a free printable 31-day Bible reading plan about focusing on God’s truth, with no reference to dates included.
There is no cost to download; feel free to enter $0 when it asks you what price you want to pay.
It also includes a Bible Study and Reflection question worksheet with these questions.
- Why is the Word of God important in a Christian’s daily life? (Colossians 3:16)
- What should we focus our thoughts on? (Philippians 4:8)
- Can we trust our own heart? (Jeremiah 17:9-10) Who should we trust? (Proverbs 3:5)
- Write a prayer or prayer requests about focusing your mind on God’s Word.
If this Bible reading plan isn’t right for you, take a look at these other Bible reading plans for March.
- The “A Women of Noble Character” blog has a “What the Bible Says About Transformation” reading plan
- Kingdom Bloggers offers a “My Identity in Christ” reading plan
- Ruffled Mango has an “Abiding in Him” Bible reading plan
Whether it’s March or any other month of the year, it’s a great time to make a fresh start of refocusing your mind on God’s Word! Let’s pray for this worthy goal.
Dear Lord,
Thank You for Your beautiful Word and the truth it shows us. Nothing compares to You and Your Word.
Please renew our minds as we read the Bible. Help us to cherish Your Word in our hearts. Keep us faithful in prayer.
May our lives glorify You!
In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.
If you liked Bible Verses for March, you may also like Prayers for March and Prayer Challenge Ideas.