Mindset Monday: Mindfulness

This week we are going to take a look at mindfulness. Today I will set the stage with a few definitions, synonyms and Bible verses. Then we are going to look at a great habit to keep front and center in your mind and dig further into why it is important to develop this approach to life. 

Mindfulness is often associated with Eastern religion and is misunderstood by Christians. I have read Christian blogs that tell us to stay away from mindfulness because it is associated with Buddhist meditation. When you dig into the Bible however you find that being mindful is a trait of our Lord Himself. 

Psalm 8:4 in the NIV reads, 

What is mankind that you are mindful of them,

    human beings that you care for them?

The same verse in the NASB 1995 reads,

What is man that You take thought of him,

And the son of man that You care for him?

From these two translations we see that the Lord Himself is mindful of us. We see that the word mindful can be translated as “taking thought.” Finally we see that being mindful is connected to caring. 

Synonyms of mindfulness include awareness, cognizance, observance. 

Mirriam-Webster Dictionary defines mindfulness as bearing in mind: aware. 

That’s the definition of mindfulness we will be looking at this week. A mindset that is fully aware of the present, of thought and action.