Verse: Romans 12:2
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.
Devotion
The patterns of this world are sometimes hard for us to distinguish because it is the water we swim in every day. We are surrounded by the patterns of this world. The world has beliefs, actions, and “ways of doing things” that permeate our culture, our schools, our families, and our workplaces. What does the world teach about romantic relationships? What is the pattern for dealing with money? What is the pattern for dealing with people who wrong you? What is the pattern for accumulating stuff? What is the pattern for entertainment? What is the pattern for alcohol? And on and on.
Because we live in this culture, and we’ve known it our whole lives, it is so hard to not conform. Often the patterns of this world “seem right” to us because we are just used to them. They seem right because we’ve heard arguments supporting them. But when we meet Jesus, when Jesus becomes the center of our lives, everything changes. He doesn’t just save us from our sins, he wants to become Lord of our lives.
We have to allow him to “renew our minds” — to teach us a new “way of living” — to teach us his patterns. How does God view romance? Money? Conflict? Materialism? Greed? Entertainment? Rather than conforming to the world’s patterns, we invite the Holy Spirit to transform us. To literally change our minds. To teach a new way to think about life. And once we begin to know his patterns, to know his way of life, then we can test and approve what his will is. It allows us to to say, “yes this is good according to God” or “no I should avoid this.”
This verse is God’s invitation to you and me to break out of the flow of this world that often leads to destruction, and begin to live in God’s flow that leads to life and healing. It is a daily choice filled with his grace and forgiveness. Let’s choose transformation over conformation every day!
Author: Christian Dunn
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