We’re in the home stretch of this series based on My Grace-Full Life. We wrap up in December, and with only four more issues to go – this month, we’re focused on “My Mind-Full Life.” As I sat down to write this column, “Just Want You” by Sarah Reeves was playing on the radio. It occurred to me how timely the song was when I was preparing to write about being mindful…. If you’re not familiar with the song, the lyrics include:
I don’t want it if You’re not in it
I just want You
No, I don’t want it if You’re not in it
I just want You
Your heart, Your ways
Show me Your face
Your song and Your voice
Break through the noise
The song is, in short, a mindful decision to choose God’s way and His will above the singer’s own. It’s the singer’s declaration that she wants to be closer to God. And that’s what “My Mind-Full Life” is about. Being mindful of God’s way over our ways. Mindful of His will above our own. Purposefully choosing to seek Him above our own agenda.
In a world that gives lip service to being an individual while simultaneously punishing those who refuse to conform, mindfully choosing God is definitely not the norm in our culture. It’s kind of an oxymoron since Christians have long been accused of being boring and no fun. But to quote Alice Cooper, “Trashing your hotel room is easy. But being a Christian, that’s a tough call. That’s real rebellion.”
Because purposefully choosing to follow Jesus is to rebel against the world’s narrative. The Bible tells us to be mindful in this manner – “And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God” (Romans 12:2)
What does it mean to be transformed by the renewing of your mind? How do you renew your mind?
It starts by backing up to Romans 12:1 – where Paul wrote that we should present our bodies as “a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God.” Because we have received the gifts of forgiveness, mercy, and grace from God’s overflowing generosity through His Son’s sacrifice for our sins – it’s out of gratitude that we allow His Holy Spirit to transform our minds to be like-minded with Christ.
To be a living sacrifice means to sacrifice our will for God’s. We must be mindful of saying no to ourselves and yes to God.
To be holy is to live set apart; Christians should look different from the world. We have to be mindful to reject what the world says and embrace what God says.
To be acceptable is to put on the righteousness of Christ. We must be mindful to make the right choices over the easy ones as instructed in His Holy Word.
We’ll never be perfect at it in this lifetime, but it’s our weakness that His strength is magnified (2 Corinthians 12:9). The more mindfully willing and obedient we are, God is faithful to equip us, and that’s where transformation occurs.
When we surrender to Jesus, trusting in Him for our salvation, we recognize His authority in our lives. We acknowledge that we aren’t enough, but He is. Being mindful in our faith journey is an instrumental part of the sanctification process that begins when we receive the Holy Spirit.
The beautiful thing is – the more we practice mindfulness, the closer we draw to God. The easier it becomes to sing along:
I don’t want it if You’re not in it
I just want You
No, I don’t want it if You’re not in it
I just want You
Your heart, Your ways
Show me Your face
Your song and Your voice
Break through the noise
______________
Verse of the Month: Romans 12:2
Song of the Month: “Just Want You,” by Sarah Reeves
Recommended Reading: I Still Believe, by Jeremy Camp; Sick of Me, by Whitney Capps; Forgotten God, by Francis Chan; World Changers: How God Uses Ordinary People to Do Extraordinary Things, by Greg Laurie
