Wednesday 25 May 2022 – Transformed week 3

4 Comments/in /by

What are the patterns of the world? What sort of thoughts should we stop conforming to? Sometimes in order to change to something, we need to realise what we need to change from. 

Off the top of my head, some of the patterns and ways of our world include putting yourself first, making sure your opinion is known, accruing wealth, having power & influence, only showing the best parts of your life, seeking pleasure, accomplishing more, being self-made, being busy, displaying success, getting ahead…. I don’t know about you, but just reading this makes me feel exhausted! No wonder so many of us feel anxious, behind and insufficient, no matter how hard we keep striving to jump through these never-ending hoops. 

One thing God has been speaking to me about is pursuing more of His grace instead of pursuing more of anything else. If I truly believe that God’s grace is enough, if He is sufficient, then I should be able to let go of all of the other “I shoulds” constantly running around my head. To be honest, it’s something I need to be reminded of regularly. It is only by God’s grace that we can let go of the continual striving and rest in His peace. 

What are the thoughts that make you feel like you need to conform to what the world is telling you, instead of what God is telling you? This is a question I continue to ponder as I ask God to reveal his ways to me!

God, there are so many ways that the patterns of this world can seep into our everyday lives, changing how we think, speak and act. Thank you that you have provided your grace for us, so that we can surrender all the ‘shoulds’ as we listen to you and follow your leading. Help us to seek you above all else. Amen. 

Written by Madelaine Tarasenko

4 replies
  2. Richard says:

    Love your thoughts Madelaine

    I think many of us strive to know and to do God’s will. After all, as Christian people, the following of God is of great importance as is the sense of pleasing Him. This passage of Scripture reminds me that part of the foundation of knowing God’s will is in conforming to Christ, not to the patterns of this world. In fact I read this verse to mean that if we are primarily conformed to the patterns of this world then it is difficult, nigh on impossible, to understand let along implement God’s will in our lives. “Then” is so important in this verse.

    Transformation is not optional in the Christian life. We are not moralisers, we are followers of Jesus so we need to pay attention to being conformed to Christ that we are truly renewed in our minds from the patterns of the world.

    Father, help me to be renewed in my mind!

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