Often, when I visit countries with right-hand drive, I unconsciously go to the driver’s side, supposing it to be the passenger’s seat. It happened again two months ago when we were in Malawi. On two occasions when I wanted to enter the car, I went to the wrong side. This is because I came from a nation with left-hand drive and it has entered into my subconscious which side of the car to go. Usually, it would take a few days before I retrain my mind to the new reality. Most of our actions are born of habits. Habits, too, are formed from things we do repeatedly. The same principle applies to those who are hooked on drugs, pornography, or other vices. They keep going back to the same thing because that is what has been registered in their subconscious.

When we came to Christ, it was with our old mindset and ways of life. That would no longer be consistent with the new life we profess. However, having been long in our old life, we may be struggling to break loose from it. The Bible recommends the renewing of the mind as the solution. As we expose ourselves to godly teachings, the mind is being renewed. As we learn to study the Bible and pray personally, the mind is being renewed too. Renewing the mind works like a computer program. You wipe out one and replace it with another. Over time, the old mindset will no longer be able to control us, and the mind of Christ will take over.