Many Christians struggle with anger, impure thoughts, unbelief and other conflicts in their minds. Conflicting thoughts will come as long as we are on this earth, but what do we do with them? How may we change so that they become less and less of a problem?
“And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect.” Romans 12:2 (NASB)
Transfigure, transform, and change are the powerful meanings of the original Greek word for transformed in the verse above.
It is the same word used for Christ’s transformation on the Mount of Transfiguration when he shone with the brightness of his divinity.
So, this is not a weak word! This is a powerful word. We may be assured that this power can and will work in our lives.
We will be transformed how? By the renewing of our mind. For what purpose? To know the good and acceptable and perfect will of God.
We are not going to shine like our Lord and Savor on that glory-filled mountain. But we are going to participate in the wisdom, the kingdom and the purpose of the Lord. What a promise!
Look at the next key word in the verse from Romans: renewal. It means a renovation, a complete change for the better. Imagine that old shack in the neighborhood torn down and replaced with a lovely new home. That’s renovation.
Notice that the Romans verse says ‘be transformed.’ Uh-oh. That means the responsibility falls on me to be involved. God does His part but I must do mine. You must do yours.
Loving the Lord, following His commands, and leaning on the Holy Spirit as counselor and guide will result in a mental renaissance. What specific disciplines will aid us?
- Reading the Bible in a thoughtful, quiet way, safe from the busyness of the world. Talk to the Lord and listen for Him to speak to your heart.
- Memorizing Scripture so that your mind has tools.
- Learning Scriptures specific to your problem.
The Bible is going to be one of the most powerful tools you have.
Wise Christians encourage us that ‘garbage in, garbage out’ holds true when it comes to some entertainment choices today. Our culture has become death-obsessed (all the vampire stories) vulgar and choked with sex and violence. Consider if some of your choices need to change.
Choices in whether we make our minds a garden or a patch of weeds are key also. Do we linger on pessimistic, negative or sinful thoughts or do we follow the admonition here:
"Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable-if anything is excellent or praiseworthy-think about such things. Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me-put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you." Philippians 4:8-9 (NIV)
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