Transformation Starts with Me

"Be transformed by the renewing of your mind.” Romans 12:2

I just ate three luscious, soft, chewy chocolate cookies with chocolate chips. All while thinking about writing this post. The irony? I would REALLY like to lose weight. That’s REALLY difficult if I (in my friend’s words) “fill my pie hole” with chocolate cookies at nine o’clock in the morning.

So, I have personally proven the point of this post: we often want the transformation of our circumstances without being willing to transform ourselves.

I want to lose weight. But I’m not willing to avoid – or even ration – three luscious, soft, chewy chocolate cookies with chocolate chips (both white and milk chocolate chips!). And then I complain to God that I can’t lose weight.

But when it comes to sins, weaknesses, bad habits, and character flaws, God isn’t in the business of transforming our circumstances unless we commit to transforming ourselves.

God commands us to “be transformed” – WE have to make that choice. He can’t make it for us. He can help us every step of the way (I could have put those cookies in the freezer and saved them for later), but he can’t and won’t effect transformation without our willing participation.

To see how this plays out, consider these examples (in addition to my cookie example!):

• We want to relieve the stress in our lives, but we aren’t willing to take anything out of our schedules.

• We want to overcome addiction to porn, but we aren’t willing to put restrictive safeguards on our smartphones or computers.

• We want an end to marital strife, but we aren’t willing to treat our spouse with Christ-like love and daily care.

• We want to beat our addiction to alcohol or drugs, but we aren’t willing to change where we hang out or whom we hang out with.

• We want to grow strong in the Lord, but we aren’t willing to give him time or attention.

Having written this post, I’m on the hook. I know full well that I need to be transformed from the inside out. Every decision I make matters.

Join me – let’s all “be transformed by the renewing of your mind.”