Transform Your Vision

"Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind."

(Romans 12:1)

We've all heard that we should look at the proverbial glass as being half-full, and not as half-empty.

However, thinking positively by itself doesn't change things at all. 

You actually have to make a change—take action.

First, how about being thankful that you have something in your hand at all. And whether it is half-full, or has just a drop or two in the bottom, think of all the people who have absolutely nothing.

One of the keys to living a joy-filled life is to be thankful for what you have, and stop focusing on what you don't have.  

Last fall I had a life-changing epiphany that the root of unhappiness and depression is an inordinate self-focus.

But knowing that, I am still prone to falling into the self-focus trap every day. Whenever things get tough, it's easy to dwell on my circumstances and get depressed.

So what's the solution?

Transform your vision.

Change your focus.  

Stop dwelling on what you don't have and remember what you do have and give thanks for it.  Don't just "be" thankful, but give thanks.  There is a difference.

The Apostle Paul wrote:

"Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship.  Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind—then you will be able to test and prove what God’s will is: His good, pleasing and perfect will."  (Rom 12:1-2)

There it is:  "Be transformed by the renewing of your mind."

What does that mean?

First, we need to change our wrong ways of thinking.

If we don't change our focus and direct it off of ourselves and our circumstances, we can never truly be transformed.  As Paul points out in the passage above, if we are transformed by the renewing of our minds, then we will be able to test and prove what God's will is.

What is God's will?

Jesus said,

"And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength. This is the first commandment. And the second, like it, is this: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these.”

Next, after we change our wrong ways of thinking (i.e. repentance) then we need to replace those wrong thoughts and ideas with righteous thoughts and ideas. Start by spending time reading your Bible every day.

After spending time reading and absorbing God's Word, then we must act on what we have read—on our new way of thinking. This is what Paul means by saying "Then you will be able to test and prove God's what will is."

Specifically, set your focus on God first.  If you are a Christian—a follower of Jesus Christ—you have everything to be thankful for!  Thanks Jesus for what He has done in your life, praising Him, worshiping Him.

Jesus said, "Love the Lord your God with all your heart (your desires and affection) all your soul (your will), all your mind (your thoughts), and with all your strength (your deeds and actions)."

And with all our strength (deeds and actions) He gives the second great commandment, which is like the first: "You shall love your neighbor as yourself." - Test and prove God's will.

If we truly love God, we will love other people as much or more than we love ourselves, with a sacrificial love.

The Greek word is "Agape"—The God kind of love.

I guarantee you, if you are loving God with all your heart, soul, mind and strength, and then you are loving others as much or more than you are loving yourself, you won't have time to focus on your own problems or your circumstances.

Paul writes in Romans 12, that we are not to be conformed to the pattern of this world.  What does that mean?  

The world is constantly focused on "looking out for number one." Self-help books such as "Getting the Love That You Want" sell by the millions.  The world is always focused on self--not on loving God and not on loving other people as much or more than they love themselves.  Certainly not on loving God with all of their heart, soul, mind and strength.

So, don't be conformed to that worldly, inordinate self- focus of always looking out for number one.

The acronym for J.O.Y. is to focus on:

Jesus first

Others second

Yourself last

Transform your vision today.

And then test and prove God's will for your life.

If you do this, you won't have time to focus on yourself and on your circumstances.

-You will experience J.O.Y.

—God is Love, and Love Never Fails.