Devotional

There are moments in life that change everything—moments when God speaks so clearly that you know you can never be the same. I experienced one of those moments when I was 18 years old, searching for direction and purpose. I was at a summer camp retreat when the speaker preached on Romans 12:2, challenging us to spend time in nature, reflecting on God’s Word.

I found myself on a small island in the middle of a lake in upstate New York, surrounded by nothing but hills, trees, and the stillness of God’s creation. Sitting there, I reread the beginning of Romans 12 over and over again. The words sank deep into my heart, and I felt the Lord speak so clearly: Your life is to be spent glorifying Me. That moment changed everything. My desires, my plans, my entire direction shifted as I understood that following Christ meant allowing Him to transform not just my actions, but my very way of thinking.

But one thing I’ve learned over the years is that renewing the mind is not a one-time event. It wasn’t just something that happened on that island—it is a constant, daily process. Every day, we are faced with influences that attempt to pull us away from God’s truth. The world tries to shape our thinking through fear, comparison, and selfish ambition. But God calls us to transformation.

This transformation happens as we actively choose to fill our minds with His truth rather than the voices of the world. It happens when we take captive every thought that does not align with Christ (2 Corinthians 10:5) and replace it with what is true, noble, and praiseworthy (Philippians 4:8). It happens when we surrender our plans, perspectives, and even our emotions to God and allow Him to shape us daily.

A renewed mind leads to a renewed life. The more we align our thoughts with God’s truth, the more we begin to see the world through His eyes. We worry less, trust more, and walk in the confidence of His will. Transformation isn’t about trying harder—it’s about surrendering daily and letting God do the work within us.