Be Transformed

None of us can change our friends, spouses, parents, neighbors, employers, siblings.  We have no bearing on their decisions or behavior, attitudes, or outlook.  Their opinion of us in general, our points of view, faith, etc. are their own.  We have no bearing there either.

This truth is a very frustrating one due to the fact that we live in a culture that prioritizes customization as well as the illusion of total life control.  Therefore, as consumers, we gravitate towards experiences that provide this by default.  Whether we're purchasing an automobile, a technological device, or a hamburger.

We want instantaneous gratification with exactly what we specify from our entertainment, recreational activities, even spiritual experiences.  And, who wouldn't?  It's such a conveniently luxurious paradigm to exist within.

Hence, these two work against each other, to the point that we begin to question why we're not seeing cross pollination occur between (which is ridiculous to consider, but often at times, how our brains operate).

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I want to encourage you to consider the following:

The more you invest personally in cultural catering / luxuries, conversely, the more you'll potentially become stupefied / confused relative to your relationships - whether they're corporate or individual 'till eventually you begin to equate expectationally (my word) one with the other.  Be mindful of that.  It's a very slippery slope that can wreak emotional havoc rather quickly.

Remember, we're sheep.  Sheep are stupid.  Stupid is a verb.  Many a divorce, premature job quitting, abandoned friendship, estranged family member, disappointment in church / charitable org stems from this unequivocal stance.  DO NOT FALL INTO THIS TRAP.  If you do, know this, you've been duped.

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Lastly, you also have little control over your own self as it relates to sin and your sin nature.  Disappointing but true.  In other words, it's going to get the best of you unless you become an adopted son of God, and even then, you're going to have to fight tooth and nail to be victorious over your flesh over the long-term.

And that truth leads me to eternity, a word / concept that's as ignored as the entire concept of sin is within our culture.

Eternity:  Afterlife.  Heaven.  Hell.  Man's soul living beyond his body.

Do you believe or think on this truth?  The Bible is built on this concept of life after death here on Earth.  If you happen to believe life ends at brain death, you might as well take your Bible and use it as a doorstop.

As children, we all certainly hoped for eternity by default.  That was ingrained in our DNA.  Ask any child about death, and you'll immediately see that it scares them (just as it should scare us).  They're keenly interested in believing that life doesn't simply stop there.  Jesus cited children's simple faith as an example of what man's faith should look like, and that story I'm reminded of here.

Do you believe in life after death?  Does it terrify you to consider eternity in hell for yourself and those I mentioned earlier (all those people you have no control over)?

Are you interested in allowing God to transform you into someone else, even as you continue to walk this Earth?  The Bible says that we can be transformed by the renewing of our minds.  What does that mean, and how might it occur?  Read Scripture.  It's detailed there.  The apostle Paul in particular, wrote an awful lot about this.

For me, there's much peace of mind that comes with knowing transformation is happening / active within my life, and that this process is God's alone to ordain / implement / execute.  I like resting in this truth.  Especially when I'm frustrated over the one I mentioned earlier.  Too, I rest similarly knowing I can pray for those whom I have no control over and trust that God's hand is / will be working within their lives as well - as he sees fit.

I want to experience heaven after death, but too, I similarly want to experience heaven now by taking part in the becoming of a new Rob each and every day.  There's joy there in seeing that occur as my flesh dies and my spirit matures.  All thanks to God's grace.  Let that be your / our only focus today.