Be Transformed by the Renewing of Your Mind

I’ve read this passage of Scripture a thousand times…

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. -Romans 12:2

…but I’ve only ever really focused on the beginning and ending parts. It’s there in the middle where God recently began to show me something I’d been overlooking.

…be transformed by the renewing of your mind.

Notice, it says be transformed, as in take action and put feet to your faith. And it doesn’t say that we should be transformed by the renewing of our hearts, but of our minds. I believe that’s where our sanctification begins.

There’s this law that tends to be at work in all of us when we’re using our eyes as the navigators of this life. 

We see something we like in our line of vision, we think about it, we want it, and then we go after it. That’s our natural human tendency. Our minds will want what our eyes see, which is why we’re told to set our minds on things above and not on earthly things. (Col. 3:2)

Finally, brothers and sisters, 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.

Anyone else feeling a wee bit convicted? (There’s no condemnation here, not from me, or from God…only grace!)

Obviously we can’t  be transformed on our own. We need the help of the Holy Spirit and thankfully, He is ready to guide us each step of the way. I used to think that the heart was the wiser thing to follow in life, but God clearly tells us that while we cannot always trust our feelings, we CAN trust Him, completely.

Pursing a life that is transformed from the inside out requires an actionable faith. This is the kind of genuine faith we want! Sons need to see moms taking radical-brave steps by putting feet to their faith and willing to become steadfast students of the Word. And our boys need to understand that what we KNOW, what becomes deeply engrained and steeped in our minds is what we will be able to have faith in. When we truly KNOW the God of all Creation, we can’t help but fall deeply in love with Him.

Prayer:

Father, we want to know your good, pleasing and perfect will. As moms of sons (and daughters) whom we are raising to know and love you deeply, we also know there’s an enemy who wants nothing more than for us to be filled with lies and defeat. Give us the confidence we need to stand on your Truths night and day, and to be transformed by the renewing of our minds every single day. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

KNOWING Jesus, spending time with Him, in all things and in all ways, is the action step of faith we must take to renew our minds and therefore, know the will of God. What specific action-steps are you being led by God to take today? What steps might you help your sons take as well?