I wrote a devotional on Mary of Nazareth. I call my blog “Pondered Treasures.” I teach global workers about soul care. I co-wrote another book about deciding if one should stay or go.

Imagine my excitement to learn that all of those ideas and examples can be synthesized into the spiritual practice of holy thinking, coined by Stephen S. Smith, founder of Potter’s Inn. (At least I haven’t seen this phrase anywhere else in the spiritual formation material I have read to date.)

Holy thinking is the intersection of soul care, discernment, and pondering. How awesome is that? I was especially pleased to discover that Mary of Nazareth exemplified this spiritual practice. How perfect for a way to describe all the things I’m passionate about.

This way of thinking is rooted in Proverbs 19:8:

One who gets wisdom loves his own soul; One who keeps understanding will find good. (NASB)

In his book, Embracing Soul Care: Making Space for What Matters Most, Smith says that holy thinking is part of our soul care. He writes, “We practice soul care when we learn to make wise decisions, and discover God’s will in the process.”¹

Smith says holy thinking starts with God.

We accept that God’s Spirit dwells in us (Rom 8:9). The Apostle Paul tells us that “we have the mind of Christ” (1 Cor 2:10,12,16). He guides us into all the truth (John 16:13; Is 30:21; 48:17). As we contemplate our decisions, we expect God to guide us and help us.

And we resolve to do his will, not ours. “Respect and obey the Lord! This is the beginning of knowledge. Only a fool rejects wisdom and good advice” (Pr 1:7 CEV). We pray the Prayer of Indifference: “I am indifferent to anything besides your will.”

Holy thinking requires quiet reflection.

As Mary of Nazareth, “treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart” (Luke 2:19 NIV), we do likewise. According to Smith, “She thought deeply about what the events meant and valued them like treasure. She pondered in response to God’s actions, as opposed to immediately acting.”²

In Favored Blessed Pierced, I describe pondering like this: “Mary kept a mental treasure box of everything that happened to her so she wouldn’t forget. Then she tried to make sense of it by debating within herself and reflecting often.”³

Holy Thinking also involves questioning what is happening.

Mary asked for clarification out of faith, truly desiring to know more. “How will this be,” Mary asked the angel, “since I am a virgin?” (Luke 1:34 NIV). The apostle John reminds us not to believe everyone who claims to speak according to the Holy Spirt, but rather test the spirits (1 John 4:1). We have been given a good mind to use so we ask, What is truly happening here? What are the biases? Is it true?

Holy thinking demands that we think through an issue or decision carefully. We consider different sides and angles, pros and cons, and gather information from trustworthy sources. We follow Timothy’s admonition to “Reflect on what I am saying, for the Lord will give you insight into all this” (2 Tim 2:7 NIV). Smith says,

Part of soul care requires gaining courage through holy thinking to decide for ourselves what we really believe and then acting on our convictions.⁴

This practice involves acquiring wisdom and making decisions for ourselves, not merely being told what to do or parroting someone we admire. It is about knowing our own mind with the help of the Holy Spirit and exercising the mind of Christ that all believers have.

Holy thinking finds wisdom in wise people.

Finally, we find “wisdom on the lips of a person of insight” (Pr 10:13 MSG). We don’t make decisions in a vacuum. We don’t surround ourselves with people who agree with us all the time. Instead, we seek out those who are wise and ask for counsel. 

In your circle of friends, who has godly wisdom? How can you treasure and ponder a circumstance you’re facing? How will you involve God in this decision.⁵

PRAYER

Lord, thank you for these words to describe my passions. Continue to teach me holy thinking.

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1. Smith, Stephen S. Embracing Soul Care: Making Space for What Matters Most, (Grand Rapids, MI: Kregel Publications, 2006), pg 131. ↩︎
2. Smith, 132. ↩︎
3. Burkholder, Eva, Favored Blessed Pierced: A Fresh Look at Mary of Nazareth (Richardson, TX: Pondered Treasured Books, 2019), 104. ↩︎
4. Smith, 133. ↩︎
5. Smith, 133. ↩︎