Mar
7
Written by:
Blake Shipp
3/7/2011 3:42 PM
For the past several years I have journaled the experiences, thoughts, and progress of my faith journey. Every now and again I flip back through to see where I have been and where I am going. It’s a great way of seeing God at work in my life. Just this past week I finished a journal I started in March of last year and so before I broke in a new one, I took the opportunity to leaf through the old one. It was encouraging to see growth in my life. I saw prayers offered and answered, struggles faced and resolved. I was thankful. I also saw patterns, patterns that remained constant and unchanged through the year. I paused and wondered why. Why the lack of change in these areas?
As I thought about the lack of change, I dug a little deeper. How long had these issues been around? When did they first surface? As I sat and pondered, I realized that for as long as I could remember, at least as long as I have been journaling, these same issues keep popping up. And no, there has not been much if any change. That bothered me, so I decided to talk to God about it. Basically, I said, “What gives? How come I see you in these areas of my life but you don’t seem to be doing anything in these other areas?” I waited for an answer. For a few days I didn’t hear anything so I just kept asking. Finally God spoke.
It always feels funny to say “God spoke to me.” I don’t know why. God speaks all the time. I suppose I am afraid of looks that say “Yeah, right. Tell me another one.”I am afraid of those who have abused this line, telling people that God spoke as a means of getting their own way. Yet, I really do believe God speaks. To me He often speaks not in an audible voice but He speaks by bringing scripture to mind in answer to my prayers. He then shows me how His written word “speaks” to my present situation. In this case, God spoke by bringing scriptures before me that spoke about my mind. Passage after passage came before me about the importance of what fills my mind. The first passage was Romans 12.2 which says that we experience transformation as our mind is renewed. Then came Colossians 3.1-5 that speaks about focusing my mind on what is above. A few others and then finally Romans 8 which basically says the mind not controlled by the spirit still leads a fleshly life. Finally I got it. The problem wasn’t God. The issue was my mind. Here’s what I mean.
The reason I saw patterns was those patterns are rooted in ways of thinking, ways of understanding the world around me. Basically, they are rooted in ideas, ideas which I am realizing are not truth as defined by God. The only way I am going to see change, the only way God can bring change is if my mind changes. My ideas, my thoughts, my way of seeing the world in these issues has to change. Then and only then can my behaviors change. So that left me asking, “How do I change my mind?” Good question.
I could just “will” a change, but we all know how well that works. We aren’t alone in this quest. The scripture gives us some help. Paul says we change our mind by filling it with good stuff (Phil 4.8), lovely, beautiful, true things. So I thought, what can be more lovely and true than God’s Word itself? Right then and there I made a commitment to God and I shared it with my Community Group and asked them to hold me accountable. I made the commitment to start filling my mind with good things by filling it with scripture, not in a “pass my eyes over it” manner, but by cramming it deep into the recesses of my mind by memorizing it. So last week I started. I memorized a verse a day until I had memorized an entire passage. This week I have started on another, reviewing last week’s as well. I am seeking to renew my mind, to change my thoughts, offering my life to God so that He will change my behavior. I would invite you to journey along with me. This week, would you consider renewing your mind? Would you consider filling your mind with what is most true and lovely? You might just find that it changes your life.
A fellow traveler,
Blake
Spiritual Formation Pastor
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2 comment(s) so far...
Re: Blake: Renewing my mind
I too have found the mind as a battlefield. I need to constantly be filling my mind with God's Word. The Bible is truly real food, food that strengthens the spirit and speaks right to the soul. How else how we to know our savior better than by reading and consuming his words? I appreciate your post and looking forward to reading more.
By Kevin Wells on
3/7/2011 9:48 PM
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Re: Blake: Renewing my mind
I appreciate your words, this is just what I needed to hear.
By Marilyn Russell on
3/22/2011 8:15 AM
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