Renewed Thoughts
Do you see evidence that something “bad” might be controlling your thinking?
Verse of the Day
“Instead, let the Spirit renew your thoughts and attitudes.”
Today’s Devotional
The Bible is telling me that my thoughts need to be renewed, and that this renewal is done by the Holy Spirit. But what is the word “instead” there for? Instead of what? I think it’s helpful to read several verses together.
“Since you have heard about Jesus and have learned the truth that comes from him, throw off your old sinful nature and your former way of life, which is corrupted by lust and deception. Instead, let the Spirit renew your thoughts and attitudes.” (Ephesians 4:21-23)
The alternative to letting the Spirit renew my thoughts is to live according to my sinful nature. This nature is corrupted, therefore my thoughts will be corrupted if I allow this nature to control me. When I am self-focused, instead of Kingdom focused, my sinful nature is running the show.
If there is a word that stands out to me from this verse, it is “let”. As in, allow. Make space. Set aside time. Invite. Consent. Welcome. We know that God does not force His ways on us, so maybe we must invite the Spirit to do His work, and make space and time for Him to do so, in order to have renewed thoughts.
Have you ever wanted a fresh revelation about something? Have you ever sought answers from God about something that you don’t understand?
Is it possible that renewed thinking is necessary before we get the revelation and understanding that we seek?
In three of the Gospels, Jesus explains that new wine cannot be put into old wineskins. New wine is still in the fermentation process, thus it expels gas as it ferments. Therefore, new wine needs a “container” that can stretch as it goes through this natural process. And this week I learned one of the possible meanings of this teaching. What if our minds are the wineskins, and Godly wisdom is the wine? God cannot put fresh revelation, teaching, or understanding into our inflexible (old) minds. To do so would cause us damage. He loves us too much for that. But when we allow the Spirit to renew our minds, we become stretchable, therefore we are able to receive something new from the Lord.
As I have been practicing different spiritual disciplines, I am seeing the truth of this. Things my mind was not ready to receive before have surfaced. Specifically, I have been taught this week that there are some places in my heart that need healing. I need to be more concerned with being obedient to God than being a people pleaser. As I have made space for the Spirit to have access to my mind, God has sent fresh understanding of some things that have been troubling my heart and soul. And the beauty of this is that now that I can understand what’s going on, I can continue to ask the Spirit to heal me in those areas, and to redirect my focus to obedience above all else. And I can choose to trust Him with this entire process.
All of this is teaching me that renewed thinking is a vital part of our spiritual growth process. And our responsibility is to make the time to allow the Spirit to do His work.
Journal Prompts
Answer only the questions that seem relevant to you today.
What thoughts and attitudes has God changed in you during your relationship with Him?
What fresh revelation or understanding do you want from God?
Where and how do you see evidence that your sinful nature might be controlling your thinking?
How can you give the Spirit time and space to renew your thoughts and attitudes?