Tag Archives: Be transformed by the renewing of your mind

Be transformed

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Stained Glass Monarchs - Thayerapy Gardens

‘Stained Glass Cathedrals’ – Thayerapy Gardens

Monarchs are the quintessential butterfly, easily recognized and greatly appreciated. I find it hard to imagine any stained glass cathedral more beautifully designed. I’m certainly delighted I came across these three in my gardens one day as evening was approaching!

 

But these gorgeous creations were not always so abundantly graced with beauty. As you know, they started out as common caterpillars. As they approach adulthood, their hormones change and they form a cocoon, hooked to the underside of a leaf. They turn around and lower themselves into the cocoon and prepare for a metamorphic process that will totally transform their life!

 

Inside the chrysalis, enzymes are released creating a chemical soup that totally consumes and digests the caterpillar’s body. If you were to interrupt this process too early you might conclude that the life of the caterpillar had ended. There would be nothing left to resemble its original form. But inside the body of the caterpillar sets of embryonic cells called ‘imaginal disks’ grow to form completely new parts  never seen before: wings, legs, antennae, and organs of the newly created butterfly. Nothing like this happens in vertebrate creation. But here in the life and seeming death of a simple caterpillar, a beautiful new creation is made.

 

Believe it or not, we are intended to go through this same process. We are designed to mature, turn around from our selfish ways, connect to God, and become transformed spiritually.  This process requires us to die to self and allow ourselves to be surrounded by His  creative and life-transforming grace. In our case of course, the outer shell of our body looks the same. But the spiritual rebirth manifests itself in a totally new creation. At least this is how it is intended. Calling ourselves Christian doesn’t make us followers of Christ any more than a caterpillar saying, “I can fly!”  But submitting ourselves to God’s transformational power creates a totally new life, one with power to soar on new wings and to reflect His glory. At last, you are no longer a crawling thing, but a new creation with a God-given purpose for an adventurous and fulfilling life!

 

Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. Do not conform 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. Romans 12:1-2

 

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here! 2 Corinthians 5:17

 

 

The cure has begun

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You will never influence the world for God by trying to be like the world.

 

“I think you’ve seen Aslan,” said Edmund.

“Aslan!” said Eustace. “I’ve heard that name mentioned several times since we joined the Dawn Treader. And I felt—I don’t know what—I hated it. But I was hating everything then. And by the way, I’d like to apologize. I’m afraid I’ve been pretty beastly.”

“That’s all right,” said Edmund. “Between ourselves, you haven’t been as bad as I was on my first trip to Narnia. You were only an ass, but I was a traitor.”. . .

It would be nice, and fairly nearly true, to say that “from that time forth Eustace was a different boy.” To be strictly accurate, he began to be a different boy. He had relapses. There were still many days when he could be very tiresome. But most of those I shall not notice. The cure had begun.

From The Voyage of the Dawn Treader
Compiled in A Year with Aslan by C.S. Lewis

 

Are you living a truly transformed life as promised (the old has gone; the new has come)? Or does your Christian life look remarkably like it did before Christ?  It is easy to get sidetracked even after a life-altering event. Like Eustice in the story, relapses happen. But we dare not accept them as permanent. Rather we need to shake it off, ask forgiveness, and get back on track with the Spirit of God leading us.

 

I’m sure you feel the same way as Eustice, not wanting to relapse back to his old, harmful habits. One way to watch for this is to ask, “Does my life appear remarkably different from before I met Jesus? In what ways does my life reflect my love for this world’s pleasures?” Take this to God and let Him continue to mold you into His image.  His cure has started its work in us. Let it not be abandoned, but rather cooperate fully with the Great Physician.

 

Do not conform 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. Romans 12:2

 

 

Battle for the mind

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What trials have you faced or are you now facing that pose a battle for the control of your mind? Is it a serious illness, the grief that accompanies a serious loss, a deep disappointment with how life has turned out, a continual longing for satisfaction that always escapes you, or a temptation you can’t seem to escape? Each of these and others affect the way we perceive and respond to our circumstances. Unattended and unresolved, they influence how we perceive ourselves and lead us to question our very identity and how we perceive and respond to others and to God.

This is the spiritual battle for the mind. It is a battle we will each fight all our life. But although we enter the battlefield each day, it is not God’s intent that we are defeated by it. On the contrary, although we won’t fully escape the battle until he calls us home to heaven, he equips us to overcome the battle while we live now. He desires us to experience victory and abundant joy each day, even as we face our battles.

But if we ignore or neglect the tools God gives us to fight the battle, we bring even more distress to our minds, and confusion that prevent us from experiencing victory over the struggles that confront us. In absence of relying on God, we trust in our own abilities or we wallow in self-pity, so consumed by the wounds we experience, we find no strength to seek the healing touch of the great physician.

What are we to do in such a daily and life long struggle? First, we need to remind ourselves that “our struggle is not against flesh and blood…but against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.” (Ephesians 6:12) Your fight is not with your spouse or child or coworker, it is against evil forces that war against healthy relationships. If we want to live a victorious life, we must be aware of this reality so we can be vigilant of the real dangers before us. We have to know the enemy before we can defeat them.

Second, we have to equip ourselves with God’s tools for surviving the battle. How foolish it would be to walk into a real battlefield without protective armor. “Put on the full armor of God.” The armor includes truth, righteousness, peace, faith, the Word, and salvation. (Ephesians 6:11-18) “Take captive every thought and make it obedient to Christ.” (2 Corinthians 10:5) Let’s not idly walk into minefields unaware of their danger.

Third, we have to renew our minds daily. “Be transformed by the renewing of your minds.” Romans 12:2 “Put off your old self. Be made new in the attitude of your minds. Put on your new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.” (Ephesians 4:22-24) “The mind governed by the Spirit is life and peace.” (Romans 8:6)

The daily battle may rage on. Trust God and you will be able to stand firm, and victorious!