Romans 12:2a - "Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind."
When I first looked at this verse I thought, "What does conforming to the pattern of the world look like?" Before I can be transformed I need to understand what NOT to do. For me and for the purposes of this study, that means reacting to things as the world does - wanting retaliation, justice, retribution, to be RIGHT.
That's not what God calls us to. He has called us to be TRANSFORMED (changed, remade, molded, not stagnant). WOW! That's a tall order, isn't it?! Instead of staying the way I am, the bent that my sin nature wants to take me - I am to be different….totally different. But how can I do that? The next part is the answer - "by the renewing of your mind." We desperately need our minds renewed, refreshed with God's Word. And we can't do that unless we're IN His Word.
Later this week I'll tell you about something that happened last week where I came unglued. In the moment I didn't want anything to do with the Bible. My flesh wanted justice. As the day went on and I got calmer, I started reading the Psalms and listening to worship songs. As the words of one song washed over me, I felt renewed. "And you meet us in our mourning with a love that casts out fear. You are working in our waiting sanctifying us. When beyond our understanding you're teaching us to trust." (from "Sovereign Over Us" by Kristian Stanfill). This unglued moment of mine is part of God's plan to TRANSFORM me and make me more like His Son!
When I first looked at this verse I thought, "What does conforming to the pattern of the world look like?" Before I can be transformed I need to understand what NOT to do. For me and for the purposes of this study, that means reacting to things as the world does - wanting retaliation, justice, retribution, to be RIGHT.
That's not what God calls us to. He has called us to be TRANSFORMED (changed, remade, molded, not stagnant). WOW! That's a tall order, isn't it?! Instead of staying the way I am, the bent that my sin nature wants to take me - I am to be different….totally different. But how can I do that? The next part is the answer - "by the renewing of your mind." We desperately need our minds renewed, refreshed with God's Word. And we can't do that unless we're IN His Word.
Later this week I'll tell you about something that happened last week where I came unglued. In the moment I didn't want anything to do with the Bible. My flesh wanted justice. As the day went on and I got calmer, I started reading the Psalms and listening to worship songs. As the words of one song washed over me, I felt renewed. "And you meet us in our mourning with a love that casts out fear. You are working in our waiting sanctifying us. When beyond our understanding you're teaching us to trust." (from "Sovereign Over Us" by Kristian Stanfill). This unglued moment of mine is part of God's plan to TRANSFORM me and make me more like His Son!