I’ve really been thinking a lot about this concept of renewing our minds. You hear it quite a bit in churches, sermons and Christian teachings, but I want to know what that looks like. What does it mean to renew your mind and thoughts?
Here are two scriptures that stand out the most:
Ephesians 4:21-24
Since you have heard about Jesus and have learned the truth that comes from him, throw off your old sinful nature and your former way of life, which is corrupted by lust and deception. Instead, let the Spirit renew your thoughts and attitudes. Put on your new nature, created to be like God—truly righteous and holy.
Romans 12:1-2
And so, dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to give your bodies to God because of all he has done for you. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice–the kind he will find acceptable. This is truly the way to worship him. Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.
Both of them talk about renewing our thoughts and mind, but I just realized something interesting about those two scriptures. In both of them, Paul encourages us, pleads with us, to throw off our sinful ways and surrender our bodies to God before the renewing can happen. We must rid ourselves of this carnality and give our bodies (our mind, our soul, our emotions, our decisions) to God.
Right now in my life, I am so desperate for a spiritual renewal. I can’t really describe it in detail, but it comes down this–I’ve been a Christian since 1991, about 17 years now. Early in my faith walk, I was on fire for God. I was passionate, zealous, hungry to learn as much as I could. I devoured the Word, I prayed with passion, I sought God with all my heart.
Today, I don’t. I don’t pray with passion as I did. I don’t devour the Word as I did. I don’t pursue God as much as I did in the past. And, that bothers me. I really want to chase him with even more passion than before, but something in me is just complacent in my walk with God.
A lot of that may have to do with my current financial and familial position–they are phenomenal! We are out of debt, and my business is thriving! My family is awesome. My marriage is strong, my teenage son is a joy to be with and I love spending time with my family. All is well. And I know that’s a gift from God. I know it is. It just seems so easy to get complacent, lazy and spiritually lethargic when all is going well.
My deepest pursuits of God have always been in the darkest times of my life. And now, this lack of passion, this lack of enthusiasm, this lack of self control is driving me into this spiritually dark season in my life, and I don’t like it.
I want to passionately pursue God with all my heart.
