At the end of the day, when the light is fading, I love to sit on the river bank and allow God to speak. A couple of nights ago I was there when it was almost dark. I could just make out the crops growing in the field on the opposite bank; the birds were squawking as they argued over roosting rights; suddenly God said, "Be transformed." Have you noticed how he often quotes from his book? "Be transformed by the renewing of your mind," he said through Paul in the Bible (Romans chapter 12, verse 2). Be transformed. Be transformed. The short phrase echoed through my spirit. Be transformed; don't transform yourself, but be transformed.
The Holy Spirit grows his fruit in us if we let him (Galatians chapter 5, verses 22 & 23). That transforms us through our spirits. Here though, Paul is talking about our minds being transformed as well. But 'be transformed'. So often if our mind is involved we want to think it though. However, here we are called to allow our minds to be renewed by the Holy Spirit. We need to let him in not so that he can control all our thoughts, but to give us boundaries and guidelines in our thinking.
The other danger is to think that because we are Christians our minds are transformed. However, that does not normally happen automatically. Some people have dramatic conversion experiences and are never the same again afterwards. Even they, though, have to work at keeping in step with God. For those with more gentle entrances into the Kingdom of God, we have to learn how God wants us to change by reading his word, the Bible, and listening to him. Then we need to allow him to make the changes in us that he highlights.
Be transformed. Be transformed today. Be transformed tomorrow. Become more like Jesus each day. Continually allow the Holy Spirit to renew your mind. As Paul, again, said, "It isn't that I have already attained this, but I keep pressing forward to lay hold of all that Christ wants for me" (Philippians chapter 3, verse 12). Keep being transformed.
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