Are we willing to change our thinking and communicating?

 

I will allow God to transform my life through renewing my mind in the Word each day.

Romans 12:2 NIV

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 NLT

Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.

Father God, I’m not sure there isn’t a single one of us who doesn’t long for some sort of transformation. Oh, Lord, we may be too prideful to admit it . . . or too fearful to face it . . . but the reality is that we’ll never become who you intended on this side of Heaven without your transformation work taking place inside our minds.

God, we pray you’ll transform our hang-ups, hold-ups, and unhealthy habits into holiness. 

We need you to give us the wisdom to see the ways of the world compares to the ways of Truth.

Yet, Lord, how often we take our issues and turn to the world for solutions. We chase after a quick fix and pain-free disguises, but to never get to the root of the issue. Only in desperation do we seek you out, wishing you’d solve our problems without inconveniencing us.

Forgive us, God, for not turning to you first. 

Forgive us for not doing the very thing that will make transformation possible. . . seeking You.

It really is so simple, Lord. You just want us to give you access to our heart and mind.

You want us to get into the Word daily so that you can change the way we think.

Oh Lord, why do we resist spending time reading your love letter to us?

Make us hungry for your Word. Make our appetites voracious for chewing on your truth. Make us unable to find satisfaction for our souls any other way. 

Protect us from the temptation to turn elsewhere. Protect us from distraction. Protect us from the hollow philosophies of this world.

Give us a deep, soulful longing for your pleasing and perfect will above all things.

In the Strong Name of Jesus, Amen.

Give us a deep, soulful longing for your pleasing and perfect will above all things.

Imagine if I were sitting across the table from you at my favorite local coffee shop, slowly sipping a perfectly made cappuccino while confessing to you my struggle to keep my plate balanced. On the outside, you can’t imagine that would be the case. I look the part of a perfectly put together woman.

But don’t let appearances fool you.

It was a scramble to even show up on time, as I used up every last second to respond to emails, edit a final post, double check comments, and send of an invoice. That’s just the work crazies. Wander around my home and you’d find the sink piled up with dishes because we forgot to run the load the night before. The living room rug looks like our Golden Retriever spent at least a week rolling all over it, when I vacuumed only a day ago. Laundry is beckoning to be folded and put away, and the garage, which is not my domain, looks like an obstacle course of tools, recycling, and building projects that I inspired.

So there I sit across from you, lamenting about my sense of chaos.

I’m confess I feel like a mess. I know I’m giving it my all, but is it good enough? I know a perfectly kept home is not something my family nor God expects of me, so why do I feel so bad about it? I know I’m doing what God has called me to and my husband and children support, but . . . can I do it all better?

What would you say in response?

Would you be tempted to agree with me about my short-comings? Would you share you own woes to try to make me feel better? Would you feel irritated that I had the nerve to complain, compared to what you’re going through now?

I only ask because as I was reflecting on this Brave Manifesto principle, something struck me afresh, thanks to my perspective as a life coach in the throws of teaching the training class four times a week.

The fact is that your empathy, story-telling, or advice-giving won’t solve my problem. Joining in my pity party might be a tender way to acknowledge that the struggle is real, but that won’t fix it either.

So what is the best way to respond?

What if our response to each other was something rather counter-culture but totally biblical? What if the conversation went something like this . . .

Oh friend, I hear your struggle. But may I ask you a few tough questions, because I really do care for you and what you’re feeling?

Hmm.  Well, okay.

Have you brought this struggle before the Lord?

Um. Sort of.

So what do you hear Him saying to you?

Well, I need to breathe and not be so hard on myself. 

Ah, yes. That is good. What else is He saying to you?

Honestly, I’ve felt this conviction that I need to stop rushing through my Bible study homework, just to get it done, and I need to linger longer in the Word. 

So, what would happen if you heeded that conviction? How would that change the way you feel the rest of the day?

I know when I start the day with my whole heart and mind focused on God and in His Word, it changes how I approach what’s coming at me. When I pray, “Lord, please order the details of my day,” it shifts how I look at my time and priorities. 

Wow, so what can I do to encourage you to begin your day in the Word with that kind of focus, and not just a checklist mentality? 

Imagine how much more beneficial this type of conversation between sisters in Christ would be as opposed to the usual sorrowful-story swap we tend to fall into. I know it’s not easy to patiently ask the obvious questions, but friend, it works. This is exactly what I teach to the women in my life coach training course. Imagine the impact of using this skill amongst friends willing to “call each other out” in areas of spiritual growth! Friend, isn’t this what Brave faith is all about . . . growing together as we become the women God intended?

How can you encourage your sisters-in-Christ to dig deep in the Word and cultivate friendships that challenge you to do the same?


 

Brave Together: A Conversation Starter for Cultivating Biblical Mentoring Relationships

To continue this journey of living brave and inviting the next generation to join you in the journey, get a copy of Brave Together: A Conversation Starter for Cultivating Biblical Mentoring Relationships.

Available in paperback on Amazon or click the button to purchase the downloadable PDF version.

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