In Desperate Need of an Overhaul

I can’t believe that tonight was my fourth time of worship at the locale; in this instance it seems like less than three weeks since I arrived.  I was talking about this with my dad yesterday though, and it definitely feels like I’ve been here a lot longer.  I’m not very good at measuring time it seems – a part of me usually feels the time has been shorter, while the other part believes the exact opposite.  Maybe I’ll figure out the balance at some point in my life.  J 

During the service tonight I thought a lot about my need to have my mind renewed every day, although I really think it needs to happen more often than that.  Ha.  My mind is typically where I see my deepest need for Christ.  Sin that occurs in the mind and heart is not necessarily visible on the outside.  Unbelief is seeded there.  Natural focus on “the things above” does not come easily – at least for me. 

Thankfully the Lord has been blessing me with breakthrough here though!  More often the Holy Spirit is revealing “red flags” to me – places where I have unbelief, lies I’m believing, areas where I’m not living like my identity is in Jesus. 

Romans 12:2 is a good reminder to seek the Lord’s work in my mind.  “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.”  In order to know what the will of God is, or be in tune with God’s heart, I need a mind renewal.  When looking at the verse in Spanish, it places a little different light on the subject.  A couple Spanish translations refer to the renovation of your mind or a change of your manner of thinking.  In other words, our minds need an overhaul. 

This is a prayer that I believe will be lifelong, and I want to make it something I wake up with in the morning – not solely on my lips, but also in my heart.  One of my favorite worship leaders, Jon Thurlow, expresses this in one of his songs.  He sings, “You’re the One who renews my mind, the One who conforms my will, the One who transforms my emotions, come have Your ministry in me.”  We are in desperate need of God’s grace; He is the only one who can change us. 

I believe that if we ask for that renovation – humbly yielding to the Spirit – He will be faithful to transform us.