I finally found a J.B. Phillips translation and I'm really excited about it (for $3 at a book fair, no less!). I once had an 80-something teacher who would read scripture to us from this translation and it always sounded so plainly authoritative to me. Maybe it was his spiritual maturity and wisdom coming through. Anyway, mind renewal...
"Don't let the world around you squeeze you into its own mould, but let God re-make you so that your whole attitude of mind is changed." Romans 12:2
When things happen that cut into us, scarring us and stamping painful memories into our lives, what are we to do? Or when sin causes us to develop patterns of thinking and habits that cause hurt and are out of line with freedom Jesus came to give, what's the answer? What about bitterness that is rooted so deep it permeates our very personalities? God does not say to forget about these things, or to falsely "have a positive attitude." I believe (because He has worked it out to be true in my own life) that God wants to re-make our perspective on those memories. In this way, we can take part in the truth of the matter. It may not be a full revealing of why something happened–but God's truth that He wants us to know concerning it. We must be transformed in such a way that we are sincerely able to agree with God.
"The truth is that, although we lead normal human lives, the battle we are fighting is on the spiritual level. The very weapons we use are not human but powerful in God's warfare for the destruction of the enemy's strongholds. Our battle is to break down every deceptive argument and every imposing defence that men erect against the true knowledge of God. We fight to capture every thought until it acknowledges the authority of Christ." 2 Cor 10:3-6
It is in these sweet hours of prayer (alone or with friends) that we can experience God's healing touch on our lives. This is freeing and transforming, rooted in the truth that our God is the same yesterday, today, and forever. He exists in the times of our agony.
"For ours is no high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses–he himself shared fully in all our experience of temptation, except that he never sinned. Let us therefore approach the throne of grace with fullest confidence, that we may receive mercy for our failures and grace to help in the hour of need." Heb 4:15
2 comments:
Hello Garcias!
You don't know me, but I found your link on my friend Ashley McBride's blog and wanted to say that this post was so excellent and so encouraging!! I can feel the love and power of Christ through your writings! Keep it up!!
Yeah! That is awesome. Check out the Mind Renewal link on my blog--it is incredible the freedom God can bring through showing us the world through His perspective!
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