Don’t copy the behavior and customs of the 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. (Rom. 12:2)
One night as I was dozing off into sleep, an image came to my mind of one of those old computers, the kind that extended from floor to ceiling and took up a huge amount of space. Along with the image, in my spirit, I felt I heard God say, “It’s time to switch out your processor.” As I thought about this, the first verse that came to mind is the one referenced above. “Let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think” (Rom. 12:2).
As a follower of Jesus, as a human, and as an aspiring mental health professional, I am continually reminded of the importance of swapping out our old way of thinking for a new way. What really strikes me is this whole idea that we are looking to change not only what we think but how we think all together.
There are many things that have shaped how we think over the course of our lives, our families of origin, our upbringing, our past wounds and trauma, our past schooling and training, friends and significant mentors, the news, the media, pop culture, the list goes on and on.
At one point or another, we all come to a point where we realize that our way of thinking and seeing the world has been distorted by a broken lens. We are limited in our growth, healing, and understanding because we are confined by the limitations of our “operating system,” so to speak.
I am not very technologically savvy, but I do know that every once in a while, my phone or computer automatically updates its operating system to help my devices to run more efficiently, to resolve lag time and delays, and to keep my devices and information secure and protected from bugs.
When we notice fear, anxiety, insecurity, anger, bitterness, and resentment creating bugs and viruses in our relationships, our homes, or our workplaces, it may be time for an update. Instead of scrambling to get it all done and have all the answers, what if you received an update from heaven that allowed you to think, “I don’t have to do it alone?” Instead of scrambling to be perfect and get it all right, what if you received an update that allowed you think, “There is beauty in my imperfections,” or “I am making progress?” What if instead of being caught up in unforgiveness and bitterness, you received an update that allowed you to think, “I have been shown grace and therefore, I can extend grace to others?”
In Ephesians 4:22-24, Paul writes, “Now it’s time to be made new by every revelation that’s been given to you. And to be transformed as you embrace the glorious Christ-within as your new life and live in union with Him! For God has re-created you all over again in his perfect righteousness, and you now belong to Him in the realm of true holiness” (TPT). As to this new way of thinking, we don’t arrive there on our own. God’s word is full of truths and principles that if we will allow them to, can help us to see the world around us and to think from an entirely different perspective. We can look through a lens that’s whole and clear, rather than broken and shattered. Each day is full of opportunities to embrace truth and fresh revelation that can reframe our circumstances, bringing clarity, freedom, and victory from old bondage in our lives.
It’s time for an update. Are you ready to upgrade?
