Off The Record

The apostle Paul talked a lot about being transformed by the renewing of our mind. What was he talking about? And as Christians what does that look like today?

I like 1960’s valve stereograms. I like to hear a record on the equipment it was designed for.

Old vinyl records hold a magical property to them that’s like magnets as a child, they never lose their amazement of how it works, even when you know.

Vinyl records will only ever play what is embedded into the vinyl. Each little groove is individual and contains the information to produce a sound when a needle runs through that grove.

Like a record, we all grow up making our own soundtracks. Putting down in hardwired form in our minds things about who we are. This helps us interpret and understand our world.

Sometimes what goes down in the ‘recorded’ part of our brain is negative or not helpful. Some of these things we listen to can become stumbling blocks to us. Some things we repeatedly give listening time to, can stop us growing, stop us maturing, they can stop us fully surrendering to God. These things that we listen to can even prevent us from having or enjoying meaningful relationships with people.

Unless we can change what we’re listening to (our inner monologue with ourselves) we can’t move and become stuck. God provides hope where we would find none for ourselves.

In Romans 12:1-2 Paul writes.
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So, my dear family, this is my appeal to you by the mercies of God: offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God. Worship like this brings your mind into line with God’s. 2 What’s more, don’t let yourselves be squeezed into the shape dictated by the present age. Instead, be transformed by the renewing of your minds, so that you can work out what God’s will is, what is good, acceptable and complete.
NTE (New Testament for Everyone

Paul, a man who at length had to do a lot of the renewing of his own mind dictated this to fellow Christians living in a hostile environment under the very nose of Caesar. Paul tells us that as Christians, God main goal for us is to become more like Jesus. To be His image bearers. To do this transformation, it needs to take place in our minds.
 
Did you know you are where you are today, because of the decisions you made yesterday?

And where you will be in five, ten twenty years’ time will be down to the decisions you’re making now.

If you are listening to an inner thought that isn’t right, that could be greatly affecting your decision making. You could be selling yourself short and missing out on the freedom and life Jesus Christ died for you to have.

It starts with a choice. Renewal of the mind starts with a choice to say to God,
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‘Whatever isn’t right in my life, whatever I’m listening to that’s wrong, I want to change so I see God as you see.’

​Unless we can change what we’re listening to (our inner monologue with ourselves) we can’t move and become stuck.

​I’d suggest you write down those things that are negative that you listen to. Write them down somewhere safe and commit it up to God, because He is going to change that if you let Him. Now find a truth from God’s word about what He says about you. Write that down and put it somewhere where you will see it every day. Replacing untruths with God’s truth will not happen overnight, in fact I’d say you’ll fail a few times because we all do, don’t be discouraged. Keep turning your mind out of the rut, and eventually you will begin to make new ruts in the direction you want to be heading in with God.
 
The truth you have from Gods word, take it and pray it back to God. ‘God, this is what You say about me, this is what You say is true help me to see it Your way’.
 
The Holy Spirit is there to help you. He is responsible for helping transform you into the person God wants you to be. Making yourself open to Him and reading God’s word daily are two fuels that help the renewal fire burn brightly and will lead you to becoming the person Jesus desires you to become. Someone that you will love as well.
 
So, what’s playing on your record? What’s the inner monologue running through your mind that isn’t most true about you?
 
It’s time to replace the old record for the new and play some truly sweet tunes.
 
Dave Maharey