Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.
It’s nice when things just come to you, isn’t it? You order at a sit-down restaurant, and it just comes to you. You don’t have to make the food yourself, nor do you have to go get it. If you go to a really nice restaurant and sit at the chef’s table, you don’t even have to choose what to eat. You get whatever comes to you from the chef, and it’s usually amazing.
Sadly, this beautiful picture (that is making me hungry) doesn’t apply to spiritual transformation. If we sit back and passively receive whatever comes to us, we will not receive what is good. In fact, Paul tell us us that positive transformation requires an active choice to engage in the process of spiritual growth.* Note the word process. The transformation that we desire in our lives does not come in a light-switch manner (this should ease the frustration of the feeling of “why can’t I just change already?!”). The transformation that God desires comes with intentional partnership with the Holy Spirit to engage first in our mind (the ignition-place of spiritual transformation).* This mind-change then plays our in our behaviors.*
This is all contrast to the passive, consumer mentality that receives whatever comes to it. What comes to us without effort? The patterns of this world. Like a mold crushing around us, attempting to make us fit, the conformation of this world comes to those who do not resist it and do not engage with the transformation that God calls us to.*
Isn’t it interesting that God does not call us to combat conforming to this world with rebellion. No where does God ask us to stand up and yell in the face of the world, “I will not be like you.” No, He offers us transformation by the renewal of our mind as a counter to conforming. Saying “no, I will not be like you” is not enough; we must choose the process of God.
When we choose transformation by the renewal of the mind, we can discern the will of God for our lives… and it’s good and acceptable and perfect (complete).*
Conforming to this world does not always look like mirroring the worst pictures of humanity that you see on tv. Conforming to this world might just look like continuing to play a role in the patterns of your family without thinking about whether they are pleasing to God or not. Conforming to this world might just look like continuing to respond in the same way to the same situations without thinking about whether it’s God’s best for you. Conforming to this world looks like doing what comes naturally. It’s time to be supernatural; it’s time to be transformed.
Today, take a step.
Maybe today the one step God wants you to take is to say “yes” to His transformation process. Perhaps today God wants you to stop conforming. Maybe today God wants you to change your pattern of resistance to this world from just a combative “no” to this world to include an engaging “yes” to Him.
Whatever the step, ask God to direct it. Take a moment to take that step. Invite Him to speak. He will.
Life is a long road. Walk it with Jesus.
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*Kruse, C. G. (2012). Paul’s Letter to the Romans (D. A. Carson, Ed.; p. 463-466). William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company; Apollos.
Osborne, G. R. (2004). Romans (pp. 320–322). InterVarsity Press.
Morris, L. (1988). The Epistle to the Romans (pp. 432–434). W.B. Eerdmans; Inter-Varsity Press.
Moo, D. J. (2000). Romans (p. 395-396, 398–399). Zondervan Publishing House.