In Rom 12:2, Paul gives the charge to the believers in Rome to transform or change their mind by allowing it to be renewed by the Spirit of God – Paul said the renewal, not the removal, of your mind! The New Century Version calls us to be changed from within to a new way of thinking.
The challenge that lies before all Christians is that we are to become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ (Eph 4:13). As you would be aware, some people require more change than others in the path to attaining the full measure of Christ – for me, I have an extremely long road set before me. But it is the challenge of change, of growth, that motivates me onwards, even though the price of change is sometimes high.
John the Baptiser summed it all up in John 3:30 when, speaking of Jesus, he said, He must become greater; I must become less. In the NKJV the verse is translated with the words increase & decrease with the Greek meaning to enlarge and to lower. In our steps towards having a greater maturity, it is vital that we adopt John’s attitude as our own, as we undergo transformation and change, remembering that I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. (Gal 2:20)
Not all change is progress, but all progress requires change.
It is how we approach change that determines how we come through the times of change & transition. There are three essential attitudes that we must embrace to see change take place in our lives:
- the future will not be like the past
- the future will not be like what we expect
- the rate of change will be greater than in the past
Good word Andrew. Love the quote you’ve got in bold. Very good stuff!
Thanks Bruce. If positive change was easy and without personal sacrifice, the world would already be a far better place.
Well said Andrew. Keep up the great posts
Thanks Dave for the encouragement – it’s a good discipline to get into -just about 4 yrs behind you!