Transformation - 2

.....let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Romans 12:2b (NLT)

I am continuing the transformation thoughts from my previous blog, because it was interesting the number of responses I received from people who felt themselves or knew friends were feeling 'under a cloud'.  Clouds in the spiritual realm are normal, just like they are in the physical realm.

Clouds gather for various reasons but, for God's people, no matter what the reason, they are for one purpose - to do us good.  When Saul, later called the Apostle Paul, encountered Jesus, his 'cloud' was blindness.  God had to blind him in order to 'wake him up' to his wicked ways and change the way he thought.  You see Paul thought that he was doing the right thing by persecuting Christians because he was zealous for his Jewish faith and saw them as a genuine threat to what was right.  It was only when he encountered Jesus for himself that he realised he was wrong.  That Jesus was indeed the Son of God; God incarnate; the God he worshipped.  When we fight against God's purposes in our lives, we can expect the clouds to come.  We just need to be able to recognise what is happening and to find God in the cloud and allow him to enlighten us and lead us on.

When life is toddling along nicely we don't think too much about it.  We can easily be blind to mindsets that need to be changed in order to be in line with God's word.  It is so easy to have an opinion about something, whether it be matters of faith or in the secular world, and be convinced that we are right.  It is quite a risk for those of us who put fingers to keys or pen to paper expressing a certain viewpoint because I have realised that I need to remain open and teachable so that God can 'tweak' my viewpoints and my thoughts about things as time passes and I grow in the knowledge of him.  

Of course the basics remain but we should never be dogmatic because we are all at different stages of revelation in our faith walk and what he has convicted me of in my life may be different from what he needs to deal with in yours.  We are all under construction, but in different phases ......and, come to think of it, we are different parts of his building, each with our own unique gift to bring.  They are building an extension to the care wing of our village and this morning we could see a crane lifting roof trusses to the second floor.  Other parts of the building are handled differently.  Let God handle you  in the unique way you need in order for you to be prepared for his service.

Changing the way we think is so that "Then you will learn to know God's will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect"  as the rest of verse 2 goes.  God had a plan for Paul that was revealed to him as he received his sight, was baptised and filled with the Holy Spirit (Acts 9).  Paul then embraced God's purpose and went on to be a great ambassador for Christ.  He experienced many 'clouds' in the form of persecutions himself but he suffered gladly that the gospel might be preached. He sang in his prison, he gloried in infirmities so long as God was glorified.

Perhaps God wants to use your cloud transform your thinking and reveal another part of his plan for you.  Will you open your mind and your ears to his possibilities and stop trying to work things out in your own mind.  There is great peace in releasing yourself, your burdens, cares and concerns into his very capable hands and in allowing him to map out the path for your feet instead of holding tightly to the reigns of your life. This will require you to press in and find him in the cloud. Will you do it?

Prayer:  Lord Jesus, thank you for the cloud.  And thank you that your will for me is always good, pleasing and perfect.  Transform my thoughts today and bring them in line with your will and purpose for my life.  Please show me if I am holding onto cares and concerns that I need to give to you.  I ask you to lead me in your way of peace.  Let me learn to flow in the rhythm of your grace.  Amen