“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.” Romans 12:2 (NIV)
A personal trainer who helped me work toward fitness goals would say, “Change your mind. Change your life!” She knew that the battle of the bulge started in the head and could be won on the battlefield of the mind.
She would tell me to eat a clean diet of lean meats, fresh fruits, beans, legumes, and vegetables. She said to only drink water and not coffee, lemonade, soda, or tea and advised me to exercise at least five days each week. When I followed her health and fitness advice consistently, I started to see tangible results. At each monthly weigh-in, I saw the numbers on the scale go down and the measurements showed that the fat on my body was slowly but surely decreasing. This trainer inspired me to become the healthiest, most physically fit version of myself.
However, I still struggle to completely change my mind to change my life. It’s not easy to resist my favorite food or skip dessert. I’m making progress, but I’m far from perfect. I know that if I focus on healthy foods and staying active, I will gain and maintain a fit body. But too often, when stress hits me hard or situations seem out of my control, I lose the battle in my mind and reach for something soothing to eat. I know that I’m not alone in this struggle. I frequently hear that emotional eating is a very common problem—especially for women. But the good news is that we have hope to achieve victory with Jesus Christ.
Lately, I have been thinking that my former trainer’s advice is biblical and applies to our journey as Christians. We are encouraged in Romans 12:2 to “renew” our minds. But how do we do this? What does that look like today?
I believe that renewing our mind means that we focus on God and ask Him to help us avoid bad habits or negative thoughts when we are overwhelmed. It means running to Jesus when we’re troubled instead of turning to comfort in food.
Renewing our minds doesn’t only apply to healthy eating habits and fitness trends. According to the Enduring Word Commentary, Romans 12:2 is a warning against the “world system” because it is “the popular culture and manner of thinking that is in rebellion against God.” This system “will try to conform us to its ungodly pattern, and that process must be resisted.” Also, according to this commentary, when we allow ourselves, with God’s help, to become transformed by the renewing of our mind, “This is the opposite of being conformed to this world. The battleground between conforming to the world and being transformed is within the mind of the believer. Christians must think differently.”
This excerpt from the commentary reminds me of a time when I called a Christian friend for prayer support about something that was making me upset. The first response from this friend was, “What are you thinking?” She knew then what I know now—our thoughts affect how we feel, and our actions often follow our thought patterns. This is yet another reason why it is so important to ask God to help us renew our minds every day.
Following our negative feelings often leads us away from God. We need to focus on our faith, not our feelings. Our feelings, when not led by Christ, can lead us astray and influence us to cope with our vices. But when we feed our faith instead of our feelings, we can regain the path to victory. It’s not easy, I know. But with God, all things are possible (Philippians 4:13). He knows we’re not perfect. He knows we may fail sometimes. But He’s always there to pick us up, dust us off, and put us back on the right path as He helps us stay close to Him.
Let’s Pray: Dear God, Thank You for always being there for us. Please teach us how to renew our minds and feed our faith so that our fears and negative feelings will starve. Fill us with Your Holy Spirit and equip us to do every good work for You. Thank You for fighting beside us and for us. May we remember that we have the victory in Jesus Christ. Help us to live for You, Lord. In Jesus’s Name, I pray. Amen.
Photo Credit: ©Getty Images/Ryan McVay
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Originally published Friday, 25 October 2024.
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