Renewing My Mind
Reposted 2006
Romans 12:2
Do not conform any longer 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.
I used to sit in church and pray that God would just “zap” me and make me the person I really want to be. But after thirty plus years I’m learning that God doesn’t work that way - for most of us.
For years I’ve struggled with certain things, personality flaws so to speak. I’ve blamed it on my Italian New York upbringing, my parents divorce, the critical people in my life, etc. While that may be part of who I am, it’s not the whole me and I don’t have to continue to be the person of my youth.
I’m learning that just because I read a parenting book or go through a 12 week Bible study, doesn’t mean at the end I will be miraculously transformed. I can’t begin to tell you how many books I’ve read on the same subject and I still struggle with the same things.
…be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Renewing. I guess I could break out all the concordances and go back to the original Hebrew or Greek to find out the origin of this word, but to me it means continual. I need to feed my mind continually so my heart will be bathed in the truth and love of Jesus Christ. Reading a book on parenting isn’t going to change me. But when I continue to read books, meditate on scripture and pay attention in church, then my mind will be renewed on a continual basis. Then I will be able to stand against the enemy as he throws his fiery darts my way.
Do I still wish God would just “zap” me and end all my struggles? Sure. But I don’t pray for it as much as I did before. I don’t except to be miraculous transformed, instead I continue to renew my mind and one day “when He appears, we (I) shall be like Him, for we (I) shall see Him as He is. (1 John 3:2)
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Good post. Sometimes I think all the Christianity-help books just give us more appealing side roads to approach when in reality we should just be seeking His will in the Bible…but then I’ve benefited so much from them, in that they’ve spurred me back into the Word, that I know that’s not the answer.
September 28th, 2007 at 7:35 pmI really related to this post, Gina. I’ve often been so discouraged after reading inspirational or motivational books, or even Scripture, becoming so fired up to change, and often less than an hour later finding myself back in the same old behavior patterns. Constant renewal, feeding our minds with God’s truth and positive examples, is the only way to keep growing.
September 29th, 2007 at 9:35 amI think we need balance in our lives. Learning from others is important, but so is hearing God for ourselves.
September 29th, 2007 at 10:50 am