Transformation

Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this word, 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. – Romans 12:2

It is so easy to become conformed to the patterns of the word – after all, we live in it, interact with people from it, and have the messages of the world in front of us constantly. So it is not surprising how easily we live according to the standards of the world and think according to the wisdom of the world. Examples of areas where this is especially prevalent in the lives of Christians is in the area of money – so often we spend and save according to the world’s economy, and in the area of relationships – notice that the divorce rate among Christians is no different from that of the world.

So what do we do about it? We are commanded to not be conformed, but to be transformed by the renewing of our minds. There are a couple things points worth visiting here. First – the verb tense connected to “be transformed” indicates that it is an on-going process. Secondly, notice it does not say ‘transform yourself’, but rather ‘be transformed’. This would indicate that we are not responsible for the transformation ourselves. In addition, it says that we are transformed by ‘the renewing of your minds’. Again – it does not say ‘renew your minds’. This would indicate that our minds are being renewed by something beyond ourselves.

Reminds me of the Transformer toys – they have the ability to be transformed into something totally different – but the toys don’t have the power to do it on their own. It takes the power of something outside of them to transform.

So we are left with this question – how are we transformed and our minds renewed? What is our responsibility in the process? How do we get a world view that isn’t the ‘world view’? I believe the answer is by putting the truth of God in front of ourselves so that we have something outside of the world telling us to how to think, act, and believe. And the only way to put the truth in front of ourselves is to be in the world of God – every day – so that we are meditating on it – so that is becomes engraved upon our hearts. In this way, the power of God in his living and active word has the ability to transform our hearts and renew our minds.

If we don’t do that every day, then it is impossible to be transformed – if the world is in front of us always – all day long – and the word of God never is, then how can we be transformed?

Our gracious and merciful Father, however, gives us so much more than transformation and renewal when we allow him to speak to us through his word. He gives us a promise that through the process, we also will be able to discern his will.

I don’t know about you – but I think I’ve spent much of my life trying to figure out the will of God. I tried to do it outside of the word and outside of intimate relationship with God, however, and met with no success. See, the word of God says that no one knows the will of the father except the Spirit of the Father. So when we are in God’s word which is the revelation of God to us, and in step with the Spirit, then we are in position to hear from God. Not only are we in position to hear from God, but in the transformation process, the will of God becomes our will – His desires become our desires. He promises this in Psalm 37:4 when he tells us that when we “Delight ourselves in the Lord he will give (meaning create in us) the desires of our hearts”.

I heard a sermon recently where the pastor stated, “Why should God reveal new things to us when we are not listening to what he has revealed?” Are you seeking knowledge of and from God in what he reveals to us in His word? Are you allowing yourself to be transformed and renewed daily? Are you opening your mind for God to reveal to you his will for your life? You don’t have to do it on your own – ask God to help you, seek him, meditate on his word – be transformed by the power of the word and by the Spirit. God is faithful and He will do this.

For a little extra knowledge of the way the Spirit communicates the will of the God to you and the transformation process, check out John 16:13-15; Romans 8:5-11

Today's blog was posted by Carol Bartels