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Writings of David Chadwell THEREFORE I urge you,
brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy
sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship. And do
not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind,
so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable
and perfect. (Romans 12:1, 2)
If God could change me any way He wished, what would He change? How would the
way I think be different? How would what I value be different? How would my
priorities change? What would happen to the way I use my time? In what would I
get involved? What would I discontinue? How would my “to do” list be altered?
Of this I feel certain—we all would change! The congregation, dating, marriages,
parenting, job performance, and relationships would change! In fact, most of
us—if not all of us—would be shocked at some of the changes God made in us. Not
only would we be astounded at some areas of alteration God made, but when we
knew and understood the reason, we would be even more astounded.
Some changes we prize. Many prize becoming a teenager. Many prize becoming 16 so
we can acquire a driver’s license. Many prize high school graduation, college
graduation, qualifying for most anything, a first paycheck, a wanted job, a
wanted engagement, a wanted marriage, a wanted birth, a first home, a first car,
etc.
Some changes we do not like. Many do not like turning 30 or 40 or 50 — need we
go any further? Most do not like divorce, ruptured relationships, boring jobs,
debt, traffic violations, unreasonable stress, being dominated by unbearable
people, over commitment, impossible expectations, sickness, death, etc.
Transformation is about changing us. Generally speaking, adults least like
change when it involves “changing me.” “Do not mess with my body—I like it the
way it is!” “Do not mess with my mind—I like it the way it is!” “Do not mess
with my priorities—I like them the way they are!” “I am okay. I have no
complaints with me! Why can you not just accept me as okay? If I am pleased with
me, why can’t you be pleased with me?”
Being a Christian is choosing to be transformed. Choosing to be transformed is
choosing to change. It is choosing to allow God into my heart by changing the
way I feel. It is choosing to allow God into my mind by changing the way I
think. It is choosing to allow God into my body by changing how I use it. It is
choosing to allow God to make me a person who never stops growing in His values
and priorities. It is choosing to live for eternity instead of living for now.
Transformation is not about joining an organization and conforming to
expectations of others. It is about becoming the person God can make me.
Transformation never stops!
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