The Journey to a Renewed Mind
The apostle Paul speaks of a transformation that takes place in our lives when we renew our minds in Romans 12:1-2.
Romans 12:1–2 1 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. 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.
What It Is and Why It’s Important
Renewing the mind involves a transformation away from worldly thinking and conformity to God's will. It implies a change in thought patterns, attitudes, and perspectives to align more closely with God's principles and values.
Why is renewing our mind so important? Changing your thoughts can change your life! Here’s why . . . THOUGHTS lead to EMOTIONS which lead to WORDS which lead to ACTIONS which lead to CHARACTER which leads to your DESTINY. Where you end up begins with your thoughts.
We were once on a road trip and drove through a pot hole. It jarred our vehicle so much that it shut down and left us stranded on the side of the road. I called a friend who is a mechanic and he alerted me to an inertia button located at the rear of my vehicle. The moment I pressed it, we were back on the road. Our thoughts are like the engine in our car and this is what our lives looks like when our minds are not renewed. There will be times where it shuts the whole car down and leaves you stranded on the side of the road. However, if you call upon the Lord and read His Word, He can get you back on your journey.
How to Renew Your Mind
Here are some practical steps you can take to renew your mind. These are not done once and then the process is completed. These are done daily! In fact, not only daily, but all throughout your day.
1) CHANGE Your Thoughts
Ephesians 4:23–24 23 to be made new in the attitude of your minds; 24 and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.
Start by assessing your thoughts to see if your thoughts are what Jesus wants you to think. Ask yourself the question, “Are the thoughts that I’m having healthy for me as a Christian?”
Next, align your thoughts with the Word of God. WWJD bracelets were a great reminder to align our thoughts to God’s Word. Asking ourselves, “What doest the Bible say” in every situation, will change everything about you if you conform to it’s standards.
Most importantly, get closer to Jesus. The closer you get to Jesus, the more you’ll think like Him. It’s not easy to change the way you think. This will have to be an intentional exercise. Make this a matter of prayer and draw closer to Jesus and He will renew your mind.
2) MONITOR Your Thoughts
2 Corinthians 10:5 We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.
Take every thought captive. What a powerful directive. Detain them immediately and make sure they are obedient to Christ. We need to tell our minds how to think and not just accept every thought that comes into our minds.
Get rid of stinkin’ thinkin’. We may have some bad thinking we were taught by various people and experiences in our lives. We can’t just accept these ideologies, but must challenge our thinking in hopes to be pleasing to Christ. It’s often good to listen to the feedback of others as well, because at times we may not be able to identify our thinking that needs to be corrected.
Combat negative thoughts. These may come naturally to you at this point in your life, but there is nothing natural about them. They are a tremendous force that will take you out if you’re not careful. Don’t start your day with negativity, but choose to see the positive in every situation. Starting your day off with prayer and Bible reading will help shape your perspective. Listening to worship music can bring you into the presence of the Lord and minister to your spirit. It will make all the difference in the world.
3) FOCUS Your Thoughts
Colossians 3:2 Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things.
Train your mind to please God. We are commanded to “set” our minds on things above. In addition, we are commanded to NOT “set” our minds on earthly things. This is an action item that we must fulfill. Watch what you feed your spirit because it will contribute to what you set your mind on.
Psalm 1:2–3 2 but whose delight is in the law of the Lord, and who meditates on his law day and night. 3 That person is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither—whatever they do prospers.
Meditate on the Lord and His Word. Biblical meditation is to focus your attention on the Word, be absorbed in it, and take time to think it through. When we do this, it moves from our heads to our hearts. When I meditate on the Lord, I hear His voice more clearly. So keep your mind steadfast on the Lord.
Philippians 4:6–8 6 Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7 And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. 8 Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.
Give your thoughts guidelines. God wants to do a great work in your life. In fact, He wants you to release anxiety and claim peace. This is peace that our minds can’t even grasp. I think we would all be interested in this. However, if we don’t focus our thoughts on the right things, as outlined in this passage, we can find our peace slipping away and once again plagued with anxiety.
Conclusion
We can assure that our journey is successful by changing the way we think. It will change situations, outcomes and us individually, all for the good. Knowing that everything in life begins with our thoughts, we must renew our minds for the glory of God. It will take diligent and intentional work on a daily basis, but the end results will get you to the right destination.
Pastor Nick DiBenedetto
from the sermon series, “The Year You Always Wanted.” (1/14/24)