The Mental Renovation
Focus Scripture
"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
Introduction
One of our favorite past times is to sit down and watch television shows about renovations. My favorite is Property Brothers and Chanell enjoys Love it or List it. I’ve found it intriguing how families and contractors take a dated home and transform it into something new. If you’ve watched these shows then you also know that during these renovations, the contractors address what’s obvious but often uncover hidden damages in the homes that desperately need to be addressed. Some matters are simple and only require a quick fix, whereas others are extensive and call for more money, time and labor. No matter how beautiful the design, the damage must be addressed before changes can be made and decoration applied.
As I’ve studied the word of God, I’ve discovered that much of the principles that apply renovating a home will apply to our lives. In his letter to those in Rome, Apostle Paul urges believers to not fit into the mold of the world, but experience transformation by the renewing of our minds (Romans 12:2). The Greek word used for renewing is anakaínōsis, which means renovation. We are all given a new life when we commit ourselves to Jesus. In order to walk in the new life in Christ, we must undergo a mental renovation. This week, we will review some key principles of home renovation to discover how we can renovate our minds. Therefore, our theme is The Mental Renovation.
As I’ve studied the word of God, I’ve discovered that much of the principles that apply renovating a home will apply to our lives. In his letter to those in Rome, Apostle Paul urges believers to not fit into the mold of the world, but experience transformation by the renewing of our minds (Romans 12:2). The Greek word used for renewing is anakaínōsis, which means renovation. We are all given a new life when we commit ourselves to Jesus. In order to walk in the new life in Christ, we must undergo a mental renovation. This week, we will review some key principles of home renovation to discover how we can renovate our minds. Therefore, our theme is The Mental Renovation.
This Week's Devotionals
Day 1: Fix the Foundation
“These words I speak to you are not incidental additions to your life, homeowner improvements to your standard of living. They are foundational words, words to build a life on. If you work these words into your life, you are like a smart carpenter who built his house on solid rock. Rain poured down, the river flooded, a tornado hit—but nothing moved that house. It was fixed to the rock.” — Matthew 7:24-25 MSG
Cracks in a home reveals a foundational issue. Not only can cracks appear in a home, but cracks can also appear in our lives. Cracks may be caused by many things such as compromise, control, carelessness, anger/rage, selfishness, unforgiveness, resentment, fear and shame. Each of these create stress in minds which leads to costly damage in our lives.
In some homes, a sign of a compromised foundation is that the house is no longer level and the floor slopes downward in some areas. Those areas are laying far too low and the way to fix it is by jacking the house up to the correct height so the foundation can be corrected. The same occurs in our lives where we’ve allowed our lives to lean in the wrong direction, towards ideas and habits that don’t align with the word of God. Just as homes have to be jacked up to the right level, our lives must be elevated to the right level. Paul describes this in Colossians, Chapter 3 as he encourages us to see our affection, our minds our focus, on things above, not things below. Do not lean towards the ways of the world, instead elevate your mind to focus on the things Christ is focused on.
Both cracks in a home and a leaning floor are signs of a damaged foundation. A good contractor would never instruct a homeowner to fix those damages without first fixing the foundation. In the same way, we cannot try to fix the cracks and leans in our lives without correcting the issues with the foundation of our hearts. Paul describes Jesus as the foundation. He is the way, the truth and the life. Therefore, our lives must be built on him, who is the word of God.
Today, I not only encourage you, I urge you invite God to help you inspect your mind—search your heart to identify the cracks in walls of your life. Walk with Him through your life to see whether it leans in any area that’s contrary to a life in Christ. Write them down and pray for his help in correcting these areas. What’s so perfect about this is that Jesus is not only the foundation for our lives, but he is also the master contractor that helps us build. Give him the keys to your life, access to your mind and permission to build your life according to the design of the Father.
Cracks in a home reveals a foundational issue. Not only can cracks appear in a home, but cracks can also appear in our lives. Cracks may be caused by many things such as compromise, control, carelessness, anger/rage, selfishness, unforgiveness, resentment, fear and shame. Each of these create stress in minds which leads to costly damage in our lives.
In some homes, a sign of a compromised foundation is that the house is no longer level and the floor slopes downward in some areas. Those areas are laying far too low and the way to fix it is by jacking the house up to the correct height so the foundation can be corrected. The same occurs in our lives where we’ve allowed our lives to lean in the wrong direction, towards ideas and habits that don’t align with the word of God. Just as homes have to be jacked up to the right level, our lives must be elevated to the right level. Paul describes this in Colossians, Chapter 3 as he encourages us to see our affection, our minds our focus, on things above, not things below. Do not lean towards the ways of the world, instead elevate your mind to focus on the things Christ is focused on.
Both cracks in a home and a leaning floor are signs of a damaged foundation. A good contractor would never instruct a homeowner to fix those damages without first fixing the foundation. In the same way, we cannot try to fix the cracks and leans in our lives without correcting the issues with the foundation of our hearts. Paul describes Jesus as the foundation. He is the way, the truth and the life. Therefore, our lives must be built on him, who is the word of God.
Today, I not only encourage you, I urge you invite God to help you inspect your mind—search your heart to identify the cracks in walls of your life. Walk with Him through your life to see whether it leans in any area that’s contrary to a life in Christ. Write them down and pray for his help in correcting these areas. What’s so perfect about this is that Jesus is not only the foundation for our lives, but he is also the master contractor that helps us build. Give him the keys to your life, access to your mind and permission to build your life according to the design of the Father.
Day 2: Remove the Parasites
Parasites are harmful species that thrive by stealing the nutrients of a living organism known as a host. There are all types of parasites, some that are in plant form, like moss on a tree. It hangs from branches like decoration, yet it lives by taking what was meant for the leaves and fruit until the tree is left lifeless. As mammals, we have to keep an eye out for all sorts of parasites like mosquitos, ticks and tapeworms. Each of these will attempt to live off of us, stealing valuable nutrients so they can live. Therefore, we must be ever careful, monitoring what we eat, wear and regularly examine our bodies.
So far, we’ve been comparing our lives to the process of a home renovation. It’s obvious that homes cannot have parasites because a home is not a living organism. However, when it comes to a home, the closest thing to a parasite is the termite.
On television shows about renovations, occasionally the contractor will find damage behind the walls caused by termites. This discovery is always devastating to the homeowner as the cost of repairing the damage can be great depending on how much was affected. Termites will feed on anything wooden inside of a house, this includes the studs in walls, joists in the floor, and door frames. The challenge with termites is that you normally cannot see them and by the time you notice their presence, it’s normally too late. They will eat away to feed their colonies, leaving the structure of the home compromised.
The way that termites are a threat to the structure of a home, sin is a threat to both the character and faith in the life of the believer. In the New Testament letter to the Hebrews, the author says this:
“Do you see what this means—all these pioneers who blazed the way, all these veterans cheering us on? It means we’d better get on with it. Strip down, start running—and never quit! No extra spiritual fat, no parasitic sins. Keep your eyes on Jesus, who both began and finished this race we’re in. Study how he did it. Because he never lost sight of where he was headed—that exhilarating finish in and with God—he could put up with anything along the way: Cross, shame, whatever. And now he’s there, in the place of honor, right alongside God. When you find yourselves flagging in your faith, go over that story again, item by item, that long litany of hostility he plowed through. That will shoot adrenaline into your souls!” – Hebrews 13:1-3 (MSG)
These words are encouraging and exhilarating! The words of a coach to a long-distance runner. I want to bring your attention to the writer’s strict warning and instruction where he says, “No extra spiritual fat, no parasitic sins.” (emphasis, mine). Sin, if not removed, has the power to do what moss does to a tree or termites to a beautiful home. It always seems harmless at first, but it grows and spreads to other areas of our lives. Don’t allow sin to threaten the structure of your life. Don’t allow that parasite to destroy your character or your faith.
Here is a list of some parasitic sins: watching television programming filled with lust, talking about someone’s personal business to another, lying on a job application, eating more than you should, spending more than you should, taking office supplies from work. Each of these seem harmless at first but if not addressed and removed, they can grow and cause significant damage to your life.
God is not a shady contractor. He will not move forward on renovating our minds if we’re not willing to remove the parasites out of our lives. What are your parasitic sins? Don’t allow them to hide below the surface of your heart. Perhaps you’re reading this and you’re embarrassed of what’s been hidden behind the walls of your mind. The damage is overwhelming and you would rather just cover it back up. God didn’t uncover you to embarrass. Instead, he desires to restore you. God has the perfect tool to address our sin and it’s called the blood of Jesus. It’s the tool that he uses to make us whole again. If we would receive the sacrifice of Jesus in our lives, he can restore what sin has ravaged.
Don’t give up. Allow God to finish what he’s started. Let’s remove the parasites so that we can walk in our new life.
So far, we’ve been comparing our lives to the process of a home renovation. It’s obvious that homes cannot have parasites because a home is not a living organism. However, when it comes to a home, the closest thing to a parasite is the termite.
On television shows about renovations, occasionally the contractor will find damage behind the walls caused by termites. This discovery is always devastating to the homeowner as the cost of repairing the damage can be great depending on how much was affected. Termites will feed on anything wooden inside of a house, this includes the studs in walls, joists in the floor, and door frames. The challenge with termites is that you normally cannot see them and by the time you notice their presence, it’s normally too late. They will eat away to feed their colonies, leaving the structure of the home compromised.
The way that termites are a threat to the structure of a home, sin is a threat to both the character and faith in the life of the believer. In the New Testament letter to the Hebrews, the author says this:
“Do you see what this means—all these pioneers who blazed the way, all these veterans cheering us on? It means we’d better get on with it. Strip down, start running—and never quit! No extra spiritual fat, no parasitic sins. Keep your eyes on Jesus, who both began and finished this race we’re in. Study how he did it. Because he never lost sight of where he was headed—that exhilarating finish in and with God—he could put up with anything along the way: Cross, shame, whatever. And now he’s there, in the place of honor, right alongside God. When you find yourselves flagging in your faith, go over that story again, item by item, that long litany of hostility he plowed through. That will shoot adrenaline into your souls!” – Hebrews 13:1-3 (MSG)
These words are encouraging and exhilarating! The words of a coach to a long-distance runner. I want to bring your attention to the writer’s strict warning and instruction where he says, “No extra spiritual fat, no parasitic sins.” (emphasis, mine). Sin, if not removed, has the power to do what moss does to a tree or termites to a beautiful home. It always seems harmless at first, but it grows and spreads to other areas of our lives. Don’t allow sin to threaten the structure of your life. Don’t allow that parasite to destroy your character or your faith.
Here is a list of some parasitic sins: watching television programming filled with lust, talking about someone’s personal business to another, lying on a job application, eating more than you should, spending more than you should, taking office supplies from work. Each of these seem harmless at first but if not addressed and removed, they can grow and cause significant damage to your life.
God is not a shady contractor. He will not move forward on renovating our minds if we’re not willing to remove the parasites out of our lives. What are your parasitic sins? Don’t allow them to hide below the surface of your heart. Perhaps you’re reading this and you’re embarrassed of what’s been hidden behind the walls of your mind. The damage is overwhelming and you would rather just cover it back up. God didn’t uncover you to embarrass. Instead, he desires to restore you. God has the perfect tool to address our sin and it’s called the blood of Jesus. It’s the tool that he uses to make us whole again. If we would receive the sacrifice of Jesus in our lives, he can restore what sin has ravaged.
Don’t give up. Allow God to finish what he’s started. Let’s remove the parasites so that we can walk in our new life.
Day 3: Trust the Design
“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” – Jeremiah 29:11 NIV
Plans are intentions that reveal the design of the creator. When an interior designer is preparing to show the homeowners what they have in mind to transform their home, they show them design plans. Often, the homeowners get excited and say things like “This is so amazing! I had no idea my kitchen could look that way!” or “We didn’t know we had that much space in our living room!” The homeowners immediately approve the design, saying “We give you permission to do this work in our home.” So the designer and contractor goes to work, knocking down walls and putting things back together again. I remember on one episode of $50K 3-Ways, the designer was renovating the kitchen and the design plans had black paint on both the ceiling and walls. The homeowners stopped by to see the progress and it was clear that the paint color made them feel uneasy. The problem is that they were looking at an unfinished space. There were no cabinets, countertops, appliances or backsplash. The couple were worrying about something that was unfinished. However, when the renovation was finished, the couple admitted they were wrong about the paint color and were completely in love with the finished work.
Are we like those homeowners who were looking at a portion of a design and getting bent out of shape? Are we looking at only a part of an unfinished story and becoming anxious, losing sleep over what’s not yet complete? Jeremiah 29:11 may have been spoken thousands of years ago to the people of Israel, but God’s word is eternal and has the same significance today as it did back then. Today God is saying to you, “For I know the plans I have for you—I know the design I have in mind” (my paraphrase). He goes on to say, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” If God is not worried, neither should you. He’s not losing it over what it looks like today because his focus is on your future. Don’t get bent out of shape about what’s not perfect in this moment because God is not worried about this present moment, his goal is to get the glory out of your future. Apostle Paul would say it this way, “ For I consider [from the standpoint of faith] that the sufferings of the present life are not worthy to be compared with the glory that is about to be revealed to us and in us!” (Romans 8:18 AMP).
Friend, stop worrying. Stop getting bent out of shape. Stop losing sleep over an unfinished story. You don’t have to worry about God going over budget because he owns the cattle on a thousand hills (Psalm 50:10)! You don’t have to worry about him making a mistake because “we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose” (Romans 8:28 NKJV). We don’t have to worry about anything when it comes to God, we can simply trust the design—or better yet, we can trust the Designer. Do you trust the Designer?
When you said yes to his design, you surrendered to his will and gave him permission to do a marvelous work in your life. So, there’s no need to freak out when things don’t look the way you thought it should. No need to get nervous when things feel a little shaky. If anything, it’s a time to get excited—an opportunity to celebrate! James teaches us that we ought to count it all joy when we uncover pipes that have broken below the foundation. Count it all joy when trouble surfaces in places that seemed to be perfect before (James 1:2, my paraphrase). You can count it all joy and shout hallelujah because we know that all of it is working together towards the design.
Trust the design! God didn’t bring you this far to leave you. He didn’t bring you this far to abandon the project. We can be confident of this very thing, that He who began a great work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ (Philippians 1:6). You’re far more valuable to him than a project, you are his child! God is going to finish what he started.
Plans are intentions that reveal the design of the creator. When an interior designer is preparing to show the homeowners what they have in mind to transform their home, they show them design plans. Often, the homeowners get excited and say things like “This is so amazing! I had no idea my kitchen could look that way!” or “We didn’t know we had that much space in our living room!” The homeowners immediately approve the design, saying “We give you permission to do this work in our home.” So the designer and contractor goes to work, knocking down walls and putting things back together again. I remember on one episode of $50K 3-Ways, the designer was renovating the kitchen and the design plans had black paint on both the ceiling and walls. The homeowners stopped by to see the progress and it was clear that the paint color made them feel uneasy. The problem is that they were looking at an unfinished space. There were no cabinets, countertops, appliances or backsplash. The couple were worrying about something that was unfinished. However, when the renovation was finished, the couple admitted they were wrong about the paint color and were completely in love with the finished work.
Are we like those homeowners who were looking at a portion of a design and getting bent out of shape? Are we looking at only a part of an unfinished story and becoming anxious, losing sleep over what’s not yet complete? Jeremiah 29:11 may have been spoken thousands of years ago to the people of Israel, but God’s word is eternal and has the same significance today as it did back then. Today God is saying to you, “For I know the plans I have for you—I know the design I have in mind” (my paraphrase). He goes on to say, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” If God is not worried, neither should you. He’s not losing it over what it looks like today because his focus is on your future. Don’t get bent out of shape about what’s not perfect in this moment because God is not worried about this present moment, his goal is to get the glory out of your future. Apostle Paul would say it this way, “ For I consider [from the standpoint of faith] that the sufferings of the present life are not worthy to be compared with the glory that is about to be revealed to us and in us!” (Romans 8:18 AMP).
Friend, stop worrying. Stop getting bent out of shape. Stop losing sleep over an unfinished story. You don’t have to worry about God going over budget because he owns the cattle on a thousand hills (Psalm 50:10)! You don’t have to worry about him making a mistake because “we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose” (Romans 8:28 NKJV). We don’t have to worry about anything when it comes to God, we can simply trust the design—or better yet, we can trust the Designer. Do you trust the Designer?
When you said yes to his design, you surrendered to his will and gave him permission to do a marvelous work in your life. So, there’s no need to freak out when things don’t look the way you thought it should. No need to get nervous when things feel a little shaky. If anything, it’s a time to get excited—an opportunity to celebrate! James teaches us that we ought to count it all joy when we uncover pipes that have broken below the foundation. Count it all joy when trouble surfaces in places that seemed to be perfect before (James 1:2, my paraphrase). You can count it all joy and shout hallelujah because we know that all of it is working together towards the design.
Trust the design! God didn’t bring you this far to leave you. He didn’t bring you this far to abandon the project. We can be confident of this very thing, that He who began a great work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ (Philippians 1:6). You’re far more valuable to him than a project, you are his child! God is going to finish what he started.
Day 4: Sweat Equity
During a home renovation, there are times where the budget becomes stressed and the homeowners offer to do some of the work in order to save on some costs. Examples of work they may do is help with demolition, painting or laying tiles. This work is called sweat equity and it helps bring relief to the renovation budget. When it comes to the renovation of our minds, God requires some sweat equity—he requires effort on our part. This has nothing to do with a budget, but it has everything to do with sacrifice. Mind renewal is not a process that can be forced upon us as this would be considered mind control. But if we desire to experience transformation through the renovation of our minds, we must put for intentional effort that we’re calling Spiritual Sweat Equity.
There are four areas that we must put in work daily to experience transformation:
Prayer — This is how we communicate with God. The bible teaches us to pray continually, meaning there shouldn’t be a break in our habit of prayer (1 Thessalonians 5:17). Jesus modeled this example of regular prayer throughout his ministry. This is why at Thryve, we’ve made the commitment to praying together daily as a church.
Worship — This is an expression of adoration and honor that we offer to God. Worship is an act that requires intimacy, authenticity, and consecration (John 4:23, Romans 12:1). While we worship God with our whole lives, there should be time set apart daily where we intentionally kiss the hand of God. Playing worship music, singing and lifting praise to him are ways we can engage with God in a moment of worship.
Study — Reading and studying the word of God is not only for leaders of a church, but it’s for every believer. The word of God is an essential way that God speaks to us. There’s nothing that we can experience in this life that the word of God doesn’t speak to. The word of God is also a spiritual weapon that we use to respond to the attacks of the enemy on our minds. Jesus modeled this when he was tempted by Satan following his time in the wilderness (Matthew 4:1-11).
Meditation — After the death of Moses, Joshua became the leader of the Israelites. God then spoke to him, giving encouragement and instructions. One of the instructions was to meditate on the scriptures day and night (Joshua 1:8). I imagine that Joshua experienced much of the same feelings that we feel in seasons where we’re under significant pressure. Feelings like anxiety, insecurity, nervousness, and fear. Yet, God’s instruction was to meditate. This meditation is not to be confused with the meditation of the world where one is told to clear their mind and think of nothing. Christian meditation is where we actively focus on the word and spirit of God. In other words, we focus on what we focus on. Because we are filled with God’s spirit, emptiness is not our goal. Instead, we must focus on the things of the Spirit. The Hebrew word used for meditate is hâgâh which means to imagine, meditate, speak, study and talk. Therefore, our meditation should include focused thought and speaking the word.
I’ve shared how I experienced transformation in my life during and after battling COVID-19, but what’s significant is how this came about. For days, I wondered why I hadn’t felt any negative emotions and questioned whether I had experienced brain damage as a result of my fevers from COVID. The Spirit of God assured me that my brain had not been damaged. Instead, my mind had been renewed and my life was transformed. I had been born again but I didn’t understand how. God then showed me that it was the result of consistently doing four things: Praying to the Father, Worshipping Him, Studying & Meditating on the word.
I believe that when we commit to putting in the effort, we will experience transformation in our lives. God will use what we offer to him to renovate our minds. This process is not about performance, but it’s a posture of surrender that positions us to be changed by the spirit of God.
There are four areas that we must put in work daily to experience transformation:
Prayer — This is how we communicate with God. The bible teaches us to pray continually, meaning there shouldn’t be a break in our habit of prayer (1 Thessalonians 5:17). Jesus modeled this example of regular prayer throughout his ministry. This is why at Thryve, we’ve made the commitment to praying together daily as a church.
Worship — This is an expression of adoration and honor that we offer to God. Worship is an act that requires intimacy, authenticity, and consecration (John 4:23, Romans 12:1). While we worship God with our whole lives, there should be time set apart daily where we intentionally kiss the hand of God. Playing worship music, singing and lifting praise to him are ways we can engage with God in a moment of worship.
Study — Reading and studying the word of God is not only for leaders of a church, but it’s for every believer. The word of God is an essential way that God speaks to us. There’s nothing that we can experience in this life that the word of God doesn’t speak to. The word of God is also a spiritual weapon that we use to respond to the attacks of the enemy on our minds. Jesus modeled this when he was tempted by Satan following his time in the wilderness (Matthew 4:1-11).
Meditation — After the death of Moses, Joshua became the leader of the Israelites. God then spoke to him, giving encouragement and instructions. One of the instructions was to meditate on the scriptures day and night (Joshua 1:8). I imagine that Joshua experienced much of the same feelings that we feel in seasons where we’re under significant pressure. Feelings like anxiety, insecurity, nervousness, and fear. Yet, God’s instruction was to meditate. This meditation is not to be confused with the meditation of the world where one is told to clear their mind and think of nothing. Christian meditation is where we actively focus on the word and spirit of God. In other words, we focus on what we focus on. Because we are filled with God’s spirit, emptiness is not our goal. Instead, we must focus on the things of the Spirit. The Hebrew word used for meditate is hâgâh which means to imagine, meditate, speak, study and talk. Therefore, our meditation should include focused thought and speaking the word.
I’ve shared how I experienced transformation in my life during and after battling COVID-19, but what’s significant is how this came about. For days, I wondered why I hadn’t felt any negative emotions and questioned whether I had experienced brain damage as a result of my fevers from COVID. The Spirit of God assured me that my brain had not been damaged. Instead, my mind had been renewed and my life was transformed. I had been born again but I didn’t understand how. God then showed me that it was the result of consistently doing four things: Praying to the Father, Worshipping Him, Studying & Meditating on the word.
I believe that when we commit to putting in the effort, we will experience transformation in our lives. God will use what we offer to him to renovate our minds. This process is not about performance, but it’s a posture of surrender that positions us to be changed by the spirit of God.
Day 5: Progress vs. Perfection
The Mental Renovation (mind renewal) is not a one-time event. However, it is a process, one that will continue throughout the rest of our lives. In two verses we’ve looked at this week, this is made clear:
“Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.” — Romans 12:2a NIV
“being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.” — Philippians 1:6 NIV
Both of these verses let us know that this is not a one a done, but this is an ongoing process. Therefore, we should never seek to say that “we’ve arrived” in the sense that we’re finished and there’s nothing left to do. This is a false sense of perfection. God’s desire of perfection in the lives of his children is not absolutism, but mature and fully grown. It takes maturity to know that God isn’t finished when it comes to shaping my life and renewing my mind. Therefore, I should never stop praying, worshipping, studying and meditating. These are things I should do for the rest of my life.
When we walk in the false sense of perfection and believe that we’ve arrived, it’s devastating when we fall short or make a mistake. God knows that we’re not perfect, only He is perfect and demonstrated it through his Son, Jesus. Because of this, he gives us grace. Knowing that it’s in our weakness that God’s strength is made perfect (2 Corinthians 12:9). Absolute perfection is not what God desires from us, but he does expect progress. Progress can only be achieved by those who don’t quit, the ones who show up every day. I encourage you to show up. Show up in your prayer. Show up in your worship. Show up in your study life and be present in your moments of meditation. God promises to finish you, but you’ve got to show up. Don’t chase after perfection, it’s a mirage that will leave you empty. Instead, pursue after progress one day at a time.
“Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.” — Romans 12:2a NIV
“being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.” — Philippians 1:6 NIV
Both of these verses let us know that this is not a one a done, but this is an ongoing process. Therefore, we should never seek to say that “we’ve arrived” in the sense that we’re finished and there’s nothing left to do. This is a false sense of perfection. God’s desire of perfection in the lives of his children is not absolutism, but mature and fully grown. It takes maturity to know that God isn’t finished when it comes to shaping my life and renewing my mind. Therefore, I should never stop praying, worshipping, studying and meditating. These are things I should do for the rest of my life.
When we walk in the false sense of perfection and believe that we’ve arrived, it’s devastating when we fall short or make a mistake. God knows that we’re not perfect, only He is perfect and demonstrated it through his Son, Jesus. Because of this, he gives us grace. Knowing that it’s in our weakness that God’s strength is made perfect (2 Corinthians 12:9). Absolute perfection is not what God desires from us, but he does expect progress. Progress can only be achieved by those who don’t quit, the ones who show up every day. I encourage you to show up. Show up in your prayer. Show up in your worship. Show up in your study life and be present in your moments of meditation. God promises to finish you, but you’ve got to show up. Don’t chase after perfection, it’s a mirage that will leave you empty. Instead, pursue after progress one day at a time.
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