TODAY’S SIGNATURE VERSE ••• Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect. (Romans 12:2 ESV)
PRAISE & PRAYER PROMPT ••• I accidentally rearranged the living room yesterday. I didn’t mean to. I was only going to swap the couch and a chair, but then, well… before I knew it, the bookcase, antique radio, and the cabinet on which our TV sits all moved too. My husband was very surprised when he came home! I’m not sure why… After all, who doesn’t run up to Home Depot without expecting to come home to the living room turned all around? It just happens sometimes. Wayne’s reaction was, “Why am I surprised?” (Said with the most subtle of eye rolls). My grandfather would have sympathized with Wayne. The story of him coming home really late from work and sitting down in his favorite chair without turning on the light is legendary in our family… because the chair wasn’t there. Mamo had impulsively rearranged the living room and didn’t warn him… Rearranging on impulse is a trait I inherited from her.
Today, let’s go to Romans 12:2, which says, “Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.”
Have you been rearranged? Does your life different than it did before Jesus? Or has it stayed the same? Can people see the changes Jesus is making in your life?
Living for Jesus means everything gets rearranged. Priorities change, and we no longer think or act as the world does; we change. We become people who are in the world, not of it (John 15:19).
We are told to “Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth (Colossians 3:2), and we invite Jesus to “Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me” (Psalm 51:10). These are things that change us; renew us; set us apart. Things that help rearrange our lives.
Yet, many resist the change. Greg Laurie spoke of it in a sermon I recently listened to, and I heard it in a new book on Audible yesterday while I was rearranging (“Multiply,” by Francis Chan). Both pastors basically said the same thing—we are called to share the Gospel. It’s not solely the responsibility of pastors and missionaries. But if your life isn’t bearing fruit, and if you refuse to let Jesus change you, then please don’t even try.
Hearing that from two men I hold in such high regard was a little nerve-rattling! But I get it. There’s a real risk and responsibility we take when we tell people about Jesus. Because often they aren’t listening to our words, they are looking at our lives. That’s what, “Preach the Gospel at all times. When necessary, use words” means (quote attributed to St. Francis of Assisi). Even non-believers can tell if someone’s life is bearing fruit and if someone is living for Jesus… and when we talk about Jesus to others, our life has to reflect Him or we come across as hypocrites. And hypocritical Christians do untold damage to the church.
That’s not easy to hear, and it wasn’t fun to type. Because none of us are perfect, but that’s not what being set apart and non-conformed means. To be set apart and non-conformed means that we allow Jesus to use us despite our imperfections! Trust me, Jesus is going to keep tweaking the living room of your heart! We don’t become Christians, let Him rearrange things, and then He’s done. Once we invite Him into our hearts and give Him permission to rearrange, He will keep tweaking for the rest of our lives. Philippians 1:6 reminds us, “And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.”
Today, as you pray, thank Jesus for His willingness to overwhelm your heart and rearrange your life. Ask the Holy Spirit to help you stay moldable, as Jesus works on you. Ask Him to let your life be one that bears much fruit so that others can see how Jesus has changed and rearranged you.
SHARING ••• My Grace-Full Life is written by Denise Heidel. You are welcome to share anything I write, but please credit my writing and graphics accordingly. Visit www.MyGraceFullLife.com to read past blogs. Subscribe through my website to have My Grace-Full Life delivered to your email. You can unsubscribe at any time. Unless noted otherwise, all Scripture references are from the ESV translation.
