why is it so hard to live a Jesus-following life? the things i want to do i don’t do and the things i don’t want to do i find that i can’t stop myself from doing. Woe is me this wretched man, chief of sinners, sucker of note, i might as well…

STOP! [not hammer time] Romans 12.2-3 ‘Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind… THEN you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is – His good, pleasing and perfect will.’

try to do more stuff, live better, get my actions in line with what i am supposed to believe, and fail dismally.

have my mind transformed… and my actions will follow closely behind.

i am married to the beautiful Val. Meet her, get to know her, ‘fall in love’ (probably more accurately, choose to pursue a relationship with her encouraged by the feelings and emotions she invokes in me) and then one day stand in front of family and friends and make a bunch of promises of things i have chosen to do with regards to her – as love is a series of choices (and the actions that back up those choices)

so if i am trying to do a bunch of stuff for tbV because i have to (i am married to her after all and that’s what married men have to do) then it will work for a while or while i’m feeling it, but then one day i won’t be feeling it and does that mean it won’t happen?

however, if my mind has been changed and i know have a mindset of i love this woman, i have chosen to be with her, i choose her again today (and tomorrow, and the day after that) then the actions follow easily (or more naturally at least) – and so not just the easy things like buying flowers or spoiling her with chocolate (or in her case sour worms and body parts) but also the slightly harder-to-motivate things like washing up and vacuuming and taking out the trash – but because my mind has been transformed to ‘i love and i choose this girl’ the actions become second nature (or should – but a lot better than if i was just trying to change the actions)

i think this concept is a huge-mongous one that a lot of Christ-followers just don’t get (probably due to bad evangelism-theology – come to the front, say a prayer, done.) you are a new creation, you are part of a new kingdom, you have someone else in charge of your life – be transformed! (by the renewing of your mind – and renewing as i see it is a continuous process as opposed to a once off) and now live differently.

have you invited God to transform your mind lately? what being a Jesus follower means? what your attitude to money should be? your future plans? what involvement He wants for you in the local church? how your future looks? who you date and marry? how you speak, what you listen to/read/watch?

it might be time to start thinking about changing your mind, and He does it better.