The Presence of God, Part 2

It is so easy to become captured by the spirit and attitudes of the culture of this world.  Even our thought process can be tainted by the flesh which will hinder us from identifying the life-changing presence of God.  Our lives are changed when we learn to identify and respond to the presence of God.  The Apostle Paul was inspired of the Holy Spirit to share some encouraging words in Romans 12:2, "Do not conform any longer 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" (NIV).


I want to focus on the "renewing of your mind."  I must allow the process of the Spirit to influence my thinking about myself as well as about God.  It is very easy to think on the negative side of life rather than viewing the positive influence and presence of God at all times in our lives.  We easily identify the problem and many of us set in motion the process to repair or fix the problem that we are facing.  I am not saying that we do not need to be pro-active in our response to the challenges of life; but I am saying that we need to make room for the renewing of our minds through the power and presence of the Spirit.  God desires to work His will in us and through us and there are times that His will runs contrary to my thought pattern.  It is during those moments that I must make the choice to surrender my life and will to Christ and allow Him to work HIS process in my life.  I must allow my thoughts to flow toward God and His awesome love and concern for me as an individual believer.

I must stop trying to rest in my self sufficiency and trust in the all sufficiency of Christ.  He is truly all that I (You) need as we make our way though life.  We must remember that we live in a world that is broken and prior to our conversion we were living under the influence of that brokenness.  Our lives have been healed and redeemed through the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ.  We now can walk in the strength of the "renewing of our mind" on a daily basis.  The Psalmist David declared these words in Psalm 139:23-24, "Search me, O God, and know my heart; Try me and know my anxious thoughts; And see if there be any hurtful way in me, And lead me in the everlasting way" (NASB).  Christ will lead if we will follow!