Changing Our Thinking

“Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.” Romans 12:2 (NLT) The apostle Paul was very clear, writing to brothers and sisters in Christ, to not follow the ways of how the world thinks and acts. Romans 12:1 mentions that we are to present our bodies to God because of all He has done for us, and to let our bodies be a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to Him. It is essential that the believer does this to worship Him fully. The challenge for me as a follower of Jesus is to not copy how this world thinks — its philosophies and customs, and there are many. There is nothing wrong with learning, but I find that if it’s about things that are taking first place over God and His Word, then it becomes an issue. God wants to transform our old thinking to God’s way of thinking — and that is putting Him first and surrendering our lives to Him. Since I was little, I have been afraid of the dark and what was in the dark. Now that I have become a believer, I know that the Bible says in Psalm 139:12b (NLT), “Darkness and light are the same to you.” In knowing this, do I really need to fear the dark? No, because God sees and knows. This reassures me. I used to sleep with the light on even when I first became a believer, but as I learned that God sees and knows, I can let fear go. Now I don’t sleep with a light on. My husband and I live off the grid, and at night it becomes quite dark, but my new thoughts recognize that God sees me. That’s reassuring! — Myrna Kopf   Council Fire is a collaboration with Intertribal Life Ministries and Native Evangelical Fellowship of Canada. The Council Fire Daily Devotional Book Set is available on the Intertribal Life Ministries website. Learn more about Council Fire at councilfire365.org