Day 2
“Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.” –Romans 12:2
My initial observations from this verse and the one that precedes it are that we are to seek holiness and we do that by being in the Word. What we think on is what we act on.
What do we let control our emotions and reactions? These are the things we are thinking on. Does that line up with the will of God?
We don’t bring bulls, goats, or flour and oil to God as a sacrifice. We bring ourselves. We walk in the good works he has prepared for us. This is our sacrifice.
Which leads to the next thing the Lord showed me. This one took a little longer but came clearly.
“that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.”
We live in an age where everyone has an opinion and the social media to prove it. But even before social media, there were enough rigid ideals about what is good and acceptable and perfect to destroy the bonds of the church.
photo courtesy of Marcos Santos
Very infrequently do Christians remember that the gospel is fluid. It’s like water in our hands. The shape water takes in my hands is not the same shape it takes in your hands. It’s still water no matter who is holding it. But we may not hold the same amount or in the same way. Even if we tried to make our hands the exact same shape, we could never make the gospel sit the same.
We are not the same. Our lives are not the same. Our walks are not the same. What is good and acceptable for you may not be what is good and acceptable for me. This isn’t relativism. This is reality. God did not design an history in which every person lives the same life.
Just because it’s what God has called you to doesn’t mean it’s what God has called me or anyone else to.
For example, I am not a street preacher. I will never be a street preacher. The Lord has not given me a passion for it, not even an inkling of desire to do it. Frankly, I kind of dislike the whole concept. And that’s perfectly fine and acceptable because that is not the shape of my hands, if you will. Maybe it is the shape of your hands. Excellent! Now do it. I will support you in what God has called you to it, even if I don’t see or understand how it’s relevant in our culture. Doesn’t matter what I think. If God sees that it is good and acceptable for a believer then hallelujah He chose someone else to do it besides me!
Just because it’s not what God has called you to doesn’t mean it’s not what God has called me or someone else to.
It’s our tendency as humans to compare and judge. It’s a terrible tendency and one we have a very difficult time recognizing and fighting. 1 Corinthians chapter 12 addresses this issue but I don’t think we go very deep with it. We like to sit on the surface of Scripture and agree with it, but oftentimes our thin sheet of faith is crushed by the weight of truth.
Truth is… God doesn’t give us all the same abilities or desires and that is good and acceptable. We don’t need to be passionate about every gift and talent God has doled out. We just need to be appreciative for every gift and talent God has doled out. You don’t have to understand the passion God has given others. You don’t have to like it. You don’t have to see how God uses it to further His kingdom. You just need to be thankful that He gave someone the abilities and passion and vision to reach all those people you can never reach. And support them with encouragement, love, kindness, and any other way the Spirit prompts you.
Don’t be so quick to judge others and the path they are walking in faith. Are you above your teacher? (Luke 6:40) If God has called them to a mission, trust that He knows more than you about what this world needs.
Listen to the Spirit. Seek the will of God for your life by renewing your mind with the Word and prayer. Then do what the Lord has called you to… even if others don’t see it as good and acceptable.
-knittingprose
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