Armed With An Attitude
In fortifying God's people to meet suffering and persecution, Peter says "arm ye yourselves also with the same mind" (the mind of Christ, 1 Pet .4: 1) Nothing better equips us to suffer for righteousness' sake than Christ-mindedness. That means seeing things from the divine viewpoint.
Accordingly, such suffering comes as no surprise to those who live Godly in Christ Jesus (2 Tim. 3:17.). Not only is it expected, it is made easier with an encouraging sense of purpose in recalling that we become "joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be glorified together" Rom. 8:17). With the mind of Christ we see our affliction as light, temporary and even beneficial: "For our light affliction, which is for the moment, worketh for us more and more exceedingly an eternal weight of glory..." (2 Cor. 4:17). Like Jesus, we must see a blessedness associated with persecution for His sake. And more, to experience a sense of joy and gladness with our endurance because of the great heavenly reward that is promised the faithful (Matt. 5:10-12). However, Christ-mindedness not only sees suffering in perspective, it enables us to see things "as they are" in other areas as well. From the divine viewpoint we see sin for what it is and therefore "hate every false way (Ps. 119:104). In Contrast, the carnally minded minimize and lightly regard sin; they usually "don't see anything wrong with it", much less mourn about it (1 Cor. 5:2). The mind of Christ is sensitive to sin. It sees every sin as serious; as a kind of spiritual cancer in need of immediate attention — and they appreciate the remedy provided by the Great Physician. Such a view sees sinners with compassion, whether brethren who need restoring or aliens needing to know the gospel. They not only see sinners as needing help, they see self as the helper.
"To have the mind of Christ is to see time as an expression of God's longsuffering (2 Pet. 3:15); as opportunity to do the father's will, knowing that the night cometh when no man can work. Nothing will enhance life more than to "Have this mind in you."