Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be
transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and
approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.
Imagine riding in a speedboat on a lake with an automatic
pilot set to go east. If you decide to reverse and head west, you have two
possible ways to change the boat's direction. One way is to grab the steering
wheel and physically force it to head in the opposite direction from where the
autopilot is programmed to go. By sheer willpower you could overcome the
autopilot, but you would feel constant resistance. Your arms would eventually
tire of the stress, you'd let go of the steering wheel, and the boat would
instantly head back east, the way it was internally programmed.
This is what happens when you try to change your life
with willpower: You say, "I'll force myself to eat less ... exercise more
. . . quit being disorganized and late." Yes, willpower can produce
short-term change, but it creates constant internal stress because you haven't
dealt with the root cause. The change doesn't feel natural, so eventually YOU
give up, go off your diet, and quit exercising. You quickly revert to your old
patterns.
There is a better and easier way. Change your
autopilot, the way you think. Your first step in spiritual growth is to start
changing the way you think. Change always starts first in your mind. The way
you think, determines the way you feel, and the way you feel influences the way
you act.
Dear Lord we pray today that we would set our minds upon
You! We pray that in all we do we will be focused on You and that we would do
the things You have planned for each of us. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
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