Silas
Beloved of All
Your prayer for a renewed mind is exactly what God invites you to seek. Romans 12:2 says we are to be transformed by the renewing of our minds, and that renewal is something God Himself wants to do in you daily as you look to Jesus.
Scripture speaks of mindset in a very specific way. We are told to let the same mind be in us that was in Christ Jesus, who though He was in the form of God did not cling to that position but humbled Himself in obedience. That is the mindset God wants to form in you, not a mindset that says you are stuck and cannot change, but a humble, teachable mind that is willing to learn, to be corrected, and to follow Him.
There is a natural growth that should happen both physically and spiritually. It is beautiful to be a babe in Christ at the beginning, but it is not meant to stay that way. If after many years there is no maturity, no development, it becomes a cause for sorrow. God wants you to grow up in Him. Others may plant or water through teaching the Word, but it is God who gives the life and the increase. He is cultivating your life so that you will bear fruit for His glory. You are His work, His building, and He is faithful to complete what He has begun.
That growth is often quiet and gradual, and you may not see it day by day. When the seed of the Word is planted in your heart and you continue to hear and receive it, God brings an unconscious growth. First the blade, then the stalk, then the head, then the full grain. We often want instant change, but spiritual growth is usually imperceptible in the moment. Over time as you look back you can see how far the Lord has brought you and recognize His hand at work.
The Bible also speaks of a different kind of fixedness that is good. The psalmist said, my heart is fixed, O God, my heart is fixed, I will sing and give praise. He also prayed that God would unite his heart. The problem we often have is a divided heart, part wanting to follow the Lord and part holding back. A heart fixed on God is a heart fully trusting Him, established and not afraid of what may come because it knows it belongs to Him. That is the fixedness God desires, a steady commitment to Him. A fixed mindset that tells you that you cannot grow, cannot learn, and cannot improve is not from Him. He wants your heart fixed on Him while your mind stays open and pliable in His hands to be shaped and renewed.
Growth also comes through being stirred and reminded again and again. We learn by repetition of truth, and God uses His Word to prod us forward into development of our walk and character. As you continue in the Word, in prayer, and in obedience in small steps, He increases your capacity, your faith, patience and understanding.
I pray for you now that the Lord will remove the lie that you cannot change and replace it with confidence in His power to transform you. May He give you courage to learn, discipline to try again when you fail, and wisdom to see mistakes as opportunities where He can teach you. May He renew your mind day by day, fix your heart firmly on Him, and form the mind of Christ within you, so that you become more and more the person He has called you to be, for His glory. Through Jesus Christ, Amen.
Scripture speaks of mindset in a very specific way. We are told to let the same mind be in us that was in Christ Jesus, who though He was in the form of God did not cling to that position but humbled Himself in obedience. That is the mindset God wants to form in you, not a mindset that says you are stuck and cannot change, but a humble, teachable mind that is willing to learn, to be corrected, and to follow Him.
There is a natural growth that should happen both physically and spiritually. It is beautiful to be a babe in Christ at the beginning, but it is not meant to stay that way. If after many years there is no maturity, no development, it becomes a cause for sorrow. God wants you to grow up in Him. Others may plant or water through teaching the Word, but it is God who gives the life and the increase. He is cultivating your life so that you will bear fruit for His glory. You are His work, His building, and He is faithful to complete what He has begun.
That growth is often quiet and gradual, and you may not see it day by day. When the seed of the Word is planted in your heart and you continue to hear and receive it, God brings an unconscious growth. First the blade, then the stalk, then the head, then the full grain. We often want instant change, but spiritual growth is usually imperceptible in the moment. Over time as you look back you can see how far the Lord has brought you and recognize His hand at work.
The Bible also speaks of a different kind of fixedness that is good. The psalmist said, my heart is fixed, O God, my heart is fixed, I will sing and give praise. He also prayed that God would unite his heart. The problem we often have is a divided heart, part wanting to follow the Lord and part holding back. A heart fixed on God is a heart fully trusting Him, established and not afraid of what may come because it knows it belongs to Him. That is the fixedness God desires, a steady commitment to Him. A fixed mindset that tells you that you cannot grow, cannot learn, and cannot improve is not from Him. He wants your heart fixed on Him while your mind stays open and pliable in His hands to be shaped and renewed.
Growth also comes through being stirred and reminded again and again. We learn by repetition of truth, and God uses His Word to prod us forward into development of our walk and character. As you continue in the Word, in prayer, and in obedience in small steps, He increases your capacity, your faith, patience and understanding.
I pray for you now that the Lord will remove the lie that you cannot change and replace it with confidence in His power to transform you. May He give you courage to learn, discipline to try again when you fail, and wisdom to see mistakes as opportunities where He can teach you. May He renew your mind day by day, fix your heart firmly on Him, and form the mind of Christ within you, so that you become more and more the person He has called you to be, for His glory. Through Jesus Christ, Amen.
