Transforming

Today as I sat on my couch with my coffee in hand I began reviewing the past few months. There have been so many lessons given and opportunities to put them into practice. In my prayer notebook I write down prayers and praises each day. Then after a few weeks go by I review them and write “answered” in the margin for those that have been answered.

Sometimes the review reminds me to continue praying for a specific person or situation and other times I can clearly see how God’s lessons were right on target at the right moment. It’s always exciting to see what God has been doing.

The other day I was cleaning my closet and came across a pair of board shorts that I ordered online before our vacation last year. When they arrived they didn’t fit and I was disappointed and packed them away thinking maybe by summer they would. Summer came and went and the shorts were forgotten way in the back of my closet.

As I pulled them out I noticed that the tags were still on them and I wondered if anything had changed, after all, the holidays had just passed and I ate a bit more than I should have, but not as much as I was tempted to eat.

To my surprise they fit. A tad bit snug, but they fit. I had prayed the night before for motivation to finish the race and complete my Fit at 50 goals. Who knew that the motivation I needed would come through cleaning my closet. I had forgotten about the shorts and now was thrilled to know that if I keep going they will be just right for this years vacation which will take place a few weeks after my goal date. God is so good!

There are other things involving transformation that I’m even more excited about. I’ve been trying to put into practice what God is teaching me about balance, taking my thoughts captive, reconditioning my thinking and by addressing my own personal issues like unforgiveness, a self righteous attitude and lack of patience and grace for others.

I realize this will be a lifelong process, but it feels good to see a little progress. The last few weeks at work have been completely different because I’ve been choosing to pray more specifically about each detail rather than a blanket prayer of let this day go well. Being more specific has made me more mindful of what I’m praying for and has helped me notice God’s attention to detail.

My personality goes to extremes when it comes to planning and scheduling, but lately I have had to say to myself repeatedly, “find the balance.” It’s beginning to recondition my mind and I notice that I feel less stressed when I have balanced my time between the many places and responsibilities that I have.

When I’m at work, it’s work. When I come home making dinner, it’s time to experiment and have fun in the kitchen. When it’s time to eat, it’s time to enjoy a meal with my husband and talk with each other, meaning, full attention to the conversation. When it’s time to write, I can focus completely on the subject because other areas of my life have received their time and attention and there is no guilt or feelings of neglect.

Having some balance actually makes me feel more fulfilled than I did when I would go to extremes trying to accomplish everything on my never ending to do list. I’m enjoying the transformation that God is creating in me and want it to continue.

I like the way that The Message explains this in Romans 12: 1-2:

“So here’s what I want you to do, God helping you: Take your everyday, ordinary life—your sleeping, eating, going-to-work, and walking-around life—and place it before God as an offering. Embracing what God does for you is the best thing you can do for him. Don’t become so well-adjusted to your culture that you fit into it without even thinking. Instead, fix your attention on God. You’ll be changed from the inside out. Readily recognize what he wants from you, and quickly respond to it. Unlike the culture around you, always dragging you down to its level of immaturity, God brings the best out of you, develops well-formed maturity in you.”

In the NIV it says, “be transformed by the renewing of your mind, then you will be able to test and approve what God will is, His good pleasing and perfect will.”

Embracing what God does for me means accepting the correction of God, His leading and His will. A visual example of offering my life to God as a living sacrifice, would be like handing my day over to God and saying, “It’s all Yours, I lived this day for You.”

On the days that I have practiced transformation (embraced what God does for me) I have had so much more peace and moments where I’ve known without a doubt that I am doing the will of God. Those moments are spectacular and I want more of them. Those are days that I would joyfully give my day to God and say, “That was a great day!”

I look forward to more of those days, but I also know this is a process and there will be days that I won’t be excited to give to God. Days when I fail or allow my old nature to take hold. For those days I’m reminded that God gives me the same grace He wants me to give others.

In the meantime I’m reminded to enjoy the journey. The progress along the way is very exciting and although the goal is still out there waiting to be reached, I can be encouraged by changes made along the way.

My prayer

Father, thank you for caring enough about me to correct me, guide me and teach me Your will. I want to respond in ways that bring You joy. I know that You are with me very step of the way and that this transformation will last until You return or I go to meet You. It’s a beautiful life journey and we get to experience it together. In Jesus name, Amen.

Where does my help come from?

Philippians 1:6

“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.”

2 Timothy 4:7

“I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.”