Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of
God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to
God—this is your true and proper worship. Do not conform to the pattern of this
world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able
to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.
What does it mean to “be transformed by
the renewing of your mind”? It’s clear that it is not the will of God for me to
be shaped to fit the latest pattern of the world. Instead, I am changed from
the inside out. How does that happen? After giving some thought to the
challenge, I find the following questions useful.
1.
What will be my testimony today? Every day is a part of my testimony. My life is my
story. I am an active witness. There are things that I will and will not do
simply because I belong to the Lord Jesus Christ and I recognize that my life
is a testimony about His lordship.
2.
How will God impact my choices today? Attending church is not enough. The transformational
power of God affects my daily life. That requires me to cultivate a dynamic
relationship with God - the kind of relationship that impacts my
decision-making.
3.
Am I filtering the primary influences on my life through
God's Word, Prayer and Christian Community? Frankly, most days it may seem much easier to go with
the flow (the patterns of this world). But, while it may be easier to feed my
selfish desires, there is a clear difference between those desires and the
things that strengthen my heart and soul. God has provided and will provide
guidance. It’s up to me to put the filters in place and utilize the help that
God gives.
4.
When I fail – how will I respond? The transformational process is not a guarantee of a “mistake
free” existence. It is critical that I know what to do when I fall down.
Response patterns are as old as the existence of human beings. Will I hide from
God? Will I run from God? Will I throw up my hands and lose hope? Or, will I
run to God and find that God is my refuge. Will I return to God and find strength?
No comments:
Post a Comment