Romans 12:2 says, “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” (NIV). We are either living the way the world lives, or we are being transformed into what God has designed for us. The point is that something is defining us. It starts with our thoughts, followed by our actions.
I recently saw a video of a woman rock climbing. She was easily scaling the indoor rock wall, breaking records, and I thought it was amazing. I would love to be able to do that, I thought.
If I wanted to become a rock climber, I would have to change things in my life. There’s a gym where you can train, so I’d have to get a membership. I would need the right shoes, too. Then I would have to actually go to the climbing gym, and I would probably totally embarrass myself on the most beginner wall there. My guess is that my first attempts would result in some bruises, humiliation, and sore muscles. I would focus my workouts on the muscles and skills needed for this new passion. All this would be at the sacrifice of other activities.
I would build community with other rock climbers. My enthusiasm for rock climbing would no doubt find its way into conversations, and I would probably convince a few of my friends to climb with me.
If I did all of this, within a year or so, from what was once a woman who could barely do a pull-up, there would emerge one who could probably scale the mid-range wall in the climbing gym. One day, my identity would be “rock climber,” even if I still worked at a desk job.
When I lay it out for myself this way, it’s easy to also see how much one would have to reorient their life if they really wanted to transform into a follower of Jesus. It’s not a passive thing; it’s not something that will just automatically happen to you.
I have been asking myself some questions that may be helpful for you, too. Questions such as: Does where I spend my time each day reflect my passion for following Jesus? And what is shaping me right now? Yes, they’re hard to answer, but worth the effort, if you really want the transformation.