The Transformational Choice

Good Morning,

Do not be conformed to this age, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Rom. 12:2

As you read the above words written by the Apostle Paul, let me ask you a question. Does it sound like he is making a suggestion? It certainly does not read that way. Let me elaborate a bit.

First, we read, “Do not be conformed”. Paul makes a declarative statement that our lives as Christians should look different than those who don’t know Jesus. Our speech should be different. The way we love should be different. Our willingness to forgive should be different.  And certainly, our perspective on this life should be significantly different.

But Paul goes further. He doesn’t just tell us what not to do, he offers a second piece of instruction. “But be transformed.” I like how he doesn’t simply take away the option to stop acting like the world around us and leave us with a void. Instead he gives us something to replace it with.  Transformation. Transformation takes place as we consciously and intentionally apply the truth of God’s Word to our every-day life.  We take on more of the flavor of Christ in the decisions, reactions and priorities we make. And we do this over and over again.

There is a choice to be made here. The first step in transformation is that you have to want to be transformed. This may seem intuitively obvious, but I bet if you think about your life you find there have been times when you didn’t want to do the hard work of change. It probably wasn’t that you didn’t know what to do, you just didn’t feel like doing it. I think that is why Paul is so direct here.  He states emphatically, that to throw off the patterns of this world and to take on the qualities of Christ will take a relentless willingness to live differently.

This takes honesty, courage, humility and vulnerability. But the result is a new you. A you inspired and shaped by the Holy Spirit into something truly recreated in Christ’s image. How would that impact your life? How would that improve your relationships? What would it do to your perspective on tomorrow? 

Are you willing make the hard, yet glorious choice to transformed?  You won’t regret it.

You cannot change what you refuse to confront. – Anon.

Live this week on purpose,
Ron Klopfenstein