(July 09, 2025) Carol Round challenges us regarding our discerning… 

I like refinishing furniture, taking something old and making it look new. However, I haven’t had time to do that lately. My sister mentioned recently she wanted to refinish a used piece she’d found for sale into a coffee bar for her kitchen.

Like me, she bemoaned the fact of her busyness and not having time to transform the furniture into something new and useful.

Transforming the Mind
In Romans 12:2 Paul talks about a different kind of transformation. This type of transformation isn’t physical… it’s about our mind being transformed so we can ‘be able to test and approve what God’s will is for our lives— His good, pleasing and perfect will.’

This type of transformation isn’t physical. It’s about our mind being transformed so  that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect’ (ESB version).

To be transformed is not a one-time event. It is a process requiring us to stay constantly aware of the patterns of this world tempting us to ignore God’s will for our lives. It’s even more difficult than ever before if we allow the constant cacophony of sound bites, videos, social media posts and other means of communication and entertainment to distract us from God! We must allow the Holy Spirit to renew our minds, but we must also do our part. That’s why we must stay in God’s word.

Transforming Means Renewing
Pastor Charles Stanley once said, ‘Renewing the mind is a little like refinishing furniture. It is a two-stage process. It involves taking off the old and replacing it with the new. The old are the lies you have learned to tell or were taught by those around you; it is the attitudes and ideas that have become a part of your thinking but do not reflect reality. The new is the truth. To renew your mind is to involve yourself in the process of allowing God to bring to the surface the lies you have mistakenly accepted and replace them with truth. To the degree that you do this, your behaviour will be transformed.’
 
In Ephesians 4:20-24, Paul writes, ‘That, however, is not the way of life you learned when you heard about Christ and were taught in Him in accordance with the truth that is in Jesus. You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; to be made new in the attitude of your minds; and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.’
 
Achieving true righteousness and holiness will cost you. Through the transformation process, you’ll be tempted to give into the desires of your past. Fighting your fleshly desires is a daily struggle which cannot be fought without God’s Holy Spirit. Titus writes, ‘He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit, whom He poured out on us generously through Jesus Christ our Saviour, so that, having been justified by His grace, we might become heirs having the hope of eternal life’ (Titus 3:5-7).

Transforming is Focusing
To change my way of thinking, I’ve distanced myself from those who distract me from what God has called me to do. It hurts sometimes. But, as I’ve grown closer to God through studying His word each morning, finding new friends who are on the same path, and staying focused on the Holy Spirit’s nudges throughout the day, it has become easier.
 
I find myself more in tune with the Holy Spirit, who reminds me when I slip up that being transformed is a lifelong process. He’s working in me and through me, but it’s a daily battle.
 
That daily battle in the life of a Christian is to be renewed and controlled by God’s truth. It’s the truth that will transform us from our sinful selves to be used by God for His kingdom work.

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Carol Round is an inspirational speaker and author. Her encouraging articles have appeared in many publications and she loves hearing from readers, whom Carol encourages readers to ‘Feel free to share this post.’

Recommended: Journaling with Jesus and companion The 40 Day Challenge. These help readers draw close to God— (See: http://bit.ly/2LGOvKN and Amazon author page: https://amzn.to/2pP5Yr6). Link: carol@carolaround.com / www.carolaround.com
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