I’m not sure about you, but I am from a family of recyclers. I’m not referring to cans, glass, or plastic, but primarily to furniture. Through the years my husband and I have inherited lots of pieces that have helped us to furnish our homes and in turn we pass items on to others when we no longer need them. It’s been a good system that has worked well for us.

Anyway, this past year we finally refinished two matching chairs that originated with my grandmother, were eventually passed on to a cousin, and at some point, were handed down to us. Two years ago, these nearly 40-year-old chairs made the move with us from Tampa to Greenville and, as you might imagine, by this time, were worn in appearance and in need of refurbishing; thus began our makeover project.

I learned a good deal through my furniture refinishing experience, beginning with the necessity of quality tools. I am also now the proud owner of a handheld orbital sander, and I borrowed a Dremel from a friend. Both tools were incredibly helpful to me! Additionally, we found an affordable fabric store, and were especially blessed to work with an excellent upholsterer. I am happy to report that we now have two lovely, refinished chairs on our sun porch!

I share all this only to say that the process of transformation, whether for furniture, automobiles, homes, or far more significantly, individuals, or relationships, all require time, commitment, and energy, and in the case of the latter two, prayer as well. Additionally, and significantly, restoring anything first begins with the acknowledgement that restoration is necessary. And once this need has been established, it is also equally as important to give intentional thought regarding the method for attaining transformation.

In Romans 12:1-2, the apostle Paul shares an effective and powerful process for achieving transformation which involves a renewal of the mind. In complete contrast to my old worn chairs that required a physical makeover on the outside, the type of transformation Paul refers to requires a mental shift on the inside. And finally, whereas the transformation of my chairs was the result of human effort, the unique transformation Paul discloses is the work of God alone.

Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.
Romans 12:2 (NLT)

As I read through this verse, I see some critical components regarding both activating as well as realizing Paul’s suggested method for change which first begins with personal commitment.

Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world… 

The commitment portion of this verse is evidenced in the word don’t, and this requires personal conviction, daily choice, and godly wisdom, and to be honest this would be difficult, and even potentially impossible, if we were required to achieve this on our own.

However, there is really good news, as the second part of this verse includes an outstanding invitation beginning with the word, but.

…but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. 

Eugene Peterson restates this concept in the following manner,

So here’s what I want you to do, God helping you: Take your everyday, ordinary life—your sleeping, eating, going-to-work, and walking-around life—and place it before God as an offering. Embracing what God does for you is the best thing you can do for him. Don’t become so well-adjusted to your culture that you fit into it without even thinking. Instead, fix your attention on God. You’ll be changed from the inside out. Readily recognize what he wants from you, and quickly respond to it. Unlike the culture around you, always dragging you down to its level of immaturity, God brings the best out of you, develops well-formed maturity in you.
Romans 12:1-2 (MSG)

And this is a beautiful segue into my final point, which is simply this: there is only way to truly know God’s will, and that is through the revelation of His Word. And this comprehension is not merely one of intellect, but far more significantly is an understanding of the heart. We will never experience spiritual freedom and genuine transformation through our knowledge about God, but rather solely through our knowledge of God.

Discerning God’s will for our lives begins with a personal relationship with Him and is then followed by a lifetime commitment of obedience and submission, and this results in spiritual wholeness, fruitfulness, and lasting transformation.

For Reflection

Slowly read Romans 12:1 & 2 and take some time to allow this verse to speak to you.

Next, consider rewriting this verse in your own words.

Finally, prayerfully consider any ways in which your mind needs spiritual transformation. Close this time by asking God to help you think His thoughts.

End Notes

If you live in Upstate SC and are in need of a reupholsterer, Emily Forrest with Crafts of a Forrest (https://www.facebook.com/CraftsofaForrest), is incredibly professional, accommodating, and amazing to work with!

Additionally, if you are in search of a great fabric store in the Upstate, I recommend All About Fabrics offering a wide selection, and monthly wholesale discounts. https://allaboutfabrics.com/

Lastly, I am currently reading Experiencing God: Knowing and Doing the Will of God

(https://a.co/d/fI8EBzi) with my church and in our community group. This is an excellent study and I highly recommend it!