“I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. 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.” Romans 12:1-2
Christian living brings change! Deciding to commit our lives to our loving Savior is much more than something that happens in one moment of time and then is finished.
There are people who are doing well in life that fall in love with Jesus once they learn of Him, but there are many others who come to Him, holding life’s broken pieces, hoping He can put them back together.
So much of the Word of God emphasizes how much God loves us and wants to help us. His love is unfailing, and His desire is to see us prosper in the ways that truly matter. Our Lord offers us the things that cannot be purchased in stores, through the mail, or on the world wide web. Jesus isn’t looking to make us feel better in our broken state. He wants to completely transform us into someone unrecognizable from the damaged and shattered person we were before our encounter with Him. However, He leaves the choice to us, and our own efforts activate the grace of God to help us.
The desire of God is that we be changed, and the Word calls to us and pleads with us to be a living sacrifice in order for this to happen. As we surrender our own carnal, fleshly desires that we’ve known and practiced for many years, and allow the Bible to teach us God’s way of living, we will become the new creation our Savior wants us to be. Our minds need to be transformed and made new, and by the help of God, through His Spirit and His Word, our transformation will take place!
The Word will teach us what is good and right while giving us discernment over what is wrong and harmful. We will realize what is pleasing to God and what is not. The Word shows us how to treat others, and how to react when wrong is done to us. The fruit of the Spirit of God in our lives will develop peace, joy, love, patience, self-control, and other attributes within us.
Philippians 4:8-9 tells us, “Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. What you have learned and received and heard and seen in me—practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you.”
Obeying the Word of God and thinking about the good, while setting aside the barrage of negative things we could dwell on, will bring that beautiful transformation we need in our lives to be healthy spiritually. We must always remember that God has the very best in mind for us.
Are we ready to surrender completely and be transformed?
