Preparing for new beginnings… Don’t just get busy. Get devoted!
A new year is about to begin. If the Lord wills, we will live to see it. This is the time that many will recommit, revisit, start or make resolutions. Particularly, for the child of God, many of us will make a resolution to get busy in the Kingdom. That’s great! But I want to challenge you to not just get busy in the Kingdom, but become devoted to the Lord. Purpose and mission is the prelude to devotion. Becoming devoted will keep you connected to God, not just the church.
For many, our New Year’s zeal will start to fade because we’ve simply added something honorable to our to-do list of Christian mechanics, but we never connected to the God given purpose of why we do what we do. Just getting busy (mechanics) will seldom create the passion to stay committed for the long haul. But purpose does.
God created us on purpose for a purpose. We should strive to walk in that purpose and with God as we posture hearts as His servants. Let this mind be in us that was also in Christ Jesus. Be intentional. Don’t settle for just going through the motions of ministry. Be full of purpose and passion. And as you minister to others in whatever capacity you choose to serve (or have been chosen to serve), that ministry will minister to you. When you commit yourself in devotion to God (not just getting busy), you don’t just give God your hands, you give Him your heart.
When you gain a sense of satisfaction or peace in your life assuming the worst in someone else’s life, it’s not ok. That’s not real inner contentment or peace. When you see a snapshot of someone’s happiness on social media or otherwise, and you choose to dismiss it, assume the worse or focus on the possiblity that something could still be wrong — instead of celebrating or expressing some form of happiness for them, you’re being motivated by a spirit of jealousy and discontentment. Particularly, when you don’t know what’s behind their closed doors. In order for you to be ok with your own life, you have to assume the worst in someone else’s life.
Some of us need to learn contentment and how to have genuine happiness for others even when it’s not our turn. You don’t gain that by trying find reasons to dismiss someone else’s happiness and contentment. So… No! It’s not ok to feel better about your life assuming the worst about someone else’s. If that’s your method, you’ll only become more discontent with your own life and more critical and fault-finding of others.
When you look at someone else and choose to think the worse just to feel better about your own life, your heart is not in the right place. That mindset won’t bring you a sense of contentment with your life. It’ll only pull you deeper into your own unfruitful thinking.
What if that image someone shows of their own happiness is actually real? What if they really are as happy as they seem? What if they really do have a great relationship? Has your own discontentment convinced you that no one else can actually be happy with their lives since you aren’t?
Learning contentment is a journey you’ll have to go on by observing God in your life, not by observing others. Yes. It could always be worse for you and for others. But it could also be better for you. Just like it could be better for those you prefer to think the worse about. Being able to celebrate the happiness of another person, inspite of the lack of your own happiness, may be the key that unlocks the door to a change in how you feel about your own life. And that new attitude could be the key that opens the door to a change in your life.
Then the Lord God said, “It is not good for the man to be alone; I will make him a helper suitable for him.” Genesis 2:18
This biblical definition of suitable in this verse actually means “opposites”. The idea is establishing relational/martial harmony by identifying, understanding and appreciating the differences between the man and woman and how those differences work together to operate as one (not in the things that make us compatible, similar or alike).
It’s like a two piece puzzle. Both pieces are completely different, but fit one another perfectly because they were designed to do so. The same with the man and woman–two different pieces of a Divine puzzle designed to fit together in order to make the big picture plain and clear. The picture brings this verse to mind: Nevertheless, in the Lord woman is not independent of man nor man of woman…1 Cor 11:11
These differences have to first be embraced physically–which isn’t usually an issue for heterosexual couples. We easily like and appreciate the physical differences. The softness of a woman compliments the hardness of a man very well. But coming to understand the mental, emotional and social differences takes intentional efforts–which, unfortunately, many don’t/won’t do.
In order to not become frustrated at the opposite sex (for being the way God made them) you have to understand why they are the way they are. And when you don’t understand them, you just accept them. I’m talking about creative makeup, not character development. There are some Divine creative characteristics that are innate for both.
A woman needs to feel security and she needs attention. If a man doesn’t understand that and resist or neglect giving her security and attention, his relationship with the woman in his life will be problematic. Likewise, a man needs respect. If the woman in his life doesn’t understand that and resist or neglect giving him respect and honor, her relationship with her man will be problematic.
We don’t need the samethings because we weren’t designed to need the samethings. We’re “opposites” in so many ways. When you don’t have an understanding of the differences, you struggle accepting them. You won’t appreciate what you won’t accept. And if you struggle accepting the differences, you’re going to stay frustrated dealing with the”opposite” sex.
Unfortunately, for too many, instead of accepting and learning the differences, they chalk up relational friction as it being a problem with their significant other. They’re the problem–not their refusal or neglect of their s/o’s individual needs not being met in the relationship. We have to understand that the man and the woman just don’t tick the same way. It’s good when a man studies womanhood and when a woman studies manhood. It prepares them to meet one another’s needs, minister to their spouse or s/o without becoming frustrated (by the extreme differences/opposites).
A helper “opposite” of him doesn’t sound ideal because we’re set on looking for how we’re alike, the same or “compatible”–which isn’t necessarily a bad thing. But that just scratches the surface of relational harmony between a man and a woman. Compatibility addresses our pleasures. But suitability addresses God’s purpose.
Romans 12:2 (NIV) Do not be conformed 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. As people of God, when we make the transition from being a sinner to being saved; from being a child of Satan to being a child of God…. Our relationship changes with God, but it also must change with the world.
Jesus, Himself said in John 17:14,16 …they are not of the world, just as I am not of the world.
Jesus is letting us know that once we enter in this sanctifying relationship with Him, the world should no longer determine the kind of person we are.
In John 17:17, Jesus lets us know that the thing that sanctifies and separates us from the world is the Word of Truth.
In Romans 12, when Paul instructs us to “be not conformed to this world”, he’s reminding us and letting us know that the world has left God out. The world moves to the beat of its own drum. The world doesn’t consider what the Lord has to say about a matter. The world is its own god.
You can transition out of the world into the Kingdom of God and never be transformed. You can be saved and still think like you’re unsaved. You can be saved and still act and behave like you’ve never met Jesus as your Lord and Saviour.
This transformation that Paul is speaking of, takes intentionality. In other words, if you’re not pursuing a transformed life, you’re not being transformed. This transformation happens from the inside-out. You can’t just change some habits and call that a transformation. It starts in the mind.
A transformed mind leads to transformed desires. And transformed desires lead to transformed behaviors.
The transformation is of the mind 1st. Then it starts to manifest outwardly. The Word of God calls us the light of world. It calls us the salt of the earth. Both can influence what’s around them. Light exposes darkness and salt preserves or slows down the decaying process. For us to walk in the power of our light and salt nature, we must be transformed. We can’t expose darkness when we’re still in darkness. And we can’t help preserve anyone when we’re decaying under the weight of our own worldliness and sinfulness.
The word “conform” means to take the outward shape of. If you pour water into a bottle that shapes like the letter “J”, the water will take the shape of the letter “J”. Paul is telling us not to take the shape of the world just because we’re in it.
The word “transform” means transfigure or metamorphosis. It’s a caterpillar being transformed into a butterfly. Paul is telling us not to take shape of the patterns of this world. If we don’t think like the world, we won’t act like the world. This is why we have to have the transformation of the mind.
Romans 12:2 makes it clear that this transformation will only happen by way of our minds. It says that your mind must be renewed. This word “renewed” is an interesting word. In our English language, when we put the prefix “re” at the beginning of a word, it means “again”. (resubmit, reorganize, reconstruct) This is not teaching us to think the way we’ve been thinking again. This is teaching us to have a renewal or a change of heart and life. It’s to make fresh or new. And this fresh and new mind and life is only accomplished through the power of God and His Word.
You can’t accomplish this kind of transformation on your own. It’s not a decision to be a better person. This transformation is a direct result of what happens when we consistently submit to the will, way and word of God. It is God literally pouring out of us what we’ve allowed Him to pour into us. And it starts with what we allow Him to feed our minds.
When the Word of God flows into you, the Word of God flows ou of you. When the world flows into you, the world flows out of you.
There’s no short cut or way around this transformation process. For us to have the mind of Christ, we must allow God to feed us what’s on His mind and what’s in His heart on a daily basis. If our minds aren’t transformed, then we won’t be transformed because this is from the inside out-in.
So, why can’t I just choose to be a better version of myself? Why can’t I just live a moral life? Why can’t I just be a good person to attain this transformation? It’s for this simple reason. We were born in the flesh. The flesh won’t let us be great. The bible teaches us that the flesh wars against the spirit.
We are both flesh and spirit. And we all must commit ourselves to bringing our flesh man under the subjection of our spirit man. But even then, if your spirit man isn’t under the subjection; the influence; the control of the Holy Spirit, you will still take the shape or conformity of the world.
On my best Holy Ghost filled day, within myself, I do not have what it takes to please God within my own natural abilities. The bibles teaches “it’s God that works in us, both to will and do what pleases Him”. God is working in us so that we can live lives that please Him. This means that we must be willing and submissive to allowing God to lead us, guide us and tell us what to do. Otherwise, we’re just like the world—marching to the beat of our own drums.
When we obeyed the gospel of Christ by believing in Him and being baptized in water for the remission of our sins, God gave us His Spirit. And His Spirit lives in us daily. We can submit to His Spirit or we can resist His Spirit working in us. It’s like having strength in our physical bodies. If you don’t use it, you become weaker and weaker. Even to the point of not being able to use your strength at all. The same can be said about the power of the Holy Spirit living in us. If we don’t submit to it, operate in it or use it, the Holy Spirit’s influence becomes weaker and weaker in our lives. Even to the point of it being inactive.
Romans 12:2 says that once we have this transformed mind, we will then be able to test and approve what God’s will is. You know how children are once they become teenagers — especially young adults. I have both—a teenage and a young adult. They think they know more than they do because now, they have a little knowledge and a few more experiences in life. I just look at them, shake my head and think to myself “You don’t know nothing!”
Well, unless we have been intentional about being transformed by the renewing of our minds, the Word is indicating, “We don’t know nothing!” We don’t know how to test and approved what God’s will is. We may have some worldly wisdom, but that’s not enough to know what it takes to please God.
How can you test and approve what God’s will is when you don’t know His will? How can you know the will of God when you don’t read and study the Word of God?
Being able to test and approve what is the will of God is being able to examine or distinguish the difference between what God says “yes” to and what He says “no” to. What does God approve of?
When we think like God, we live in a way that pleases God. Pleasing God should be our ultimate goal.
Some of us are laughing at what makes God weep. We allow ourselves to be entertained by things that grieve the Holy Spirit. We don’t think much of it because it’s only entertainment and we’re not doing what we’re laughing at or being entertained by. But as lights in this dark world, we’ve be called to represent the mind and heart of God in the world. And if we’re laughing when God is weeping, it’s evident that we have some work to do.
Paul encourages us to offer our lives as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God. But we must realize that to become living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God, the starting place is our own transformation. This can’t be accomplishment by just being a member of a church or by attending church. Neither can it be accomplished by morality or good deeds.
As people of God, we must be transformed. Our ability to please God depends on it. Our ability to influence the lost depends on it. Our ability to point people to the saving grace of Jesus Christ depends on it.
Romans 12:2 MSG Don’t become so well-adjusted to your culture that you fit into it without even thinking. Instead, fix your attention on God. You’ll be changed from the inside out. Readily recognize what He wants from you, and quickly respond to it. Unlike the culture around you, always dragging you down to it its level of immaturity, God brings the best out of you, develops well-formed maturity in you. Let me add: God brings the best out of us because He’s put the best in us — His Spirit. And submitting to the inner working of His Spirit is what will transform us so that we will be able to best and approve what God’s will – His good, pleasing and perfect will. *Tressa Jo
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