Transformed and Renewed

This morning I have been reading and thinking about a renewed mind.

(NIV)Romans 12:1-2
Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God---this is your true and proper worship. [2] 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.

Lord, I know that I need to learn to think rightly. I need my mind to be renewed, and in that to be transformed. We are not supposed to think or act like the rest of the world, but rather to think and act with a heavenly perspective. So much of the time I have the question of what is God's will, and here Paul writes that in the renewal of our mind, we will be able to understand and know what His will is. As we know what His will is and are renewed in our mind, our behavior is also supposed to change - which Paul writes about in his letter to the Colossians.

(NIV)Colossians 3:9-14
Do not lie to each other, since you have taken off your old self with its practices [10] and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator. [11] Here there is no Gentile or Jew, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave or free, but Christ is all, and is in all. [12] Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. [13] Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. [14] And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.

Lord, help me to walk in this new reality, not just through diligent effort on my behalf, but because I have been truly transformed and renewed