As a non-newborn Christian (I've been around the block a few times), I came across this Scripture, but this time I saw something that breathed in new life:
Romans 12:2 Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.
That has always been a popular theme verse, similar to John 3:16, Jeremiah 29:11&13, Ephesians 2:10, etc.. But then, I read it again, and half of it was left out:
Romans 12:2 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 approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.
Discerning God's will has always been a struggle. Henry Blackaby published an entire Bible study series on it, called "Experiencing God". We pray and pray and pray, and wish that God would just tell us. I confess, I don't entirely know why God doesn't just speak in a voice and tell us; but I do know that the important thing is that we try. We show that we are here, we want to do God's will, but we're just having a hard time knowing what that will is. So we spend time and energy praying, in quiet time, crying out, trying to find out (also a good thing).
Here's the thing: Romans 12:2 offers a key piece. So you want to know God's will? Obey Romans 12:2. Do not be conformed to this world. Continually seek to renew your mind, and see things through God's eyes instead of your own or this world's. Only then will you see God's will. That means shoving aside the ways the world does things--even seemingly "religious" things, such as traditions or politics in the church. And shoving aside your own desires. After all, it is God's will we are seeking--not our own. Believe it or not, even God sometimes conforms His own desires to meet our own. That is what we call an answered prayer. We desire something, we pray for it, and God gives it. But if it is truly God's will we are seeking, we must conform to His desire--not the other way around. As Jesus prayed, "Please take this cup from me. But not my will, but yours." (Matthew 26:39)
Another life lesson I have learned: finding God when God seems absent. Similar to discerning God will, but sometimes not only is finding God's will hard, but even finding God at all. "Look, I'm praying! Where are you?" Allow me to share a life lesson from my parents. Please follow along, because this is going to jump around for a bit before my point starts to all make sense:
One of my parents has diabetes. The other used to have it. Preventing diabetes is one of the reasons why many people recommend that you fast from food from time-to-time, even if just purely for the physical health benefits:
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/16051710/
Yes, you can fast for spiritual reasons, too. But here's the physical benefit: fasting is known to increase insulin sensitivity. Generally, when we think of sensitivity, we think, "vulnerability". But not this time: sensitivity is not always vulnerability. You WANT the insulin sensitivity. If your body develops the opposite: insulin resistance, then you go diabetic. By depriving the body, you make it healthier.
Here's the thing: we need God-sensitivity. Not God resistance. In the same way, a large part of why God makes himself seem absent from time-to-time is because you need that fasting, so as to build up that God-sensitivity. And in the same way, God sensitivity is not vulnerability (even though it can feel that way). You WANT the sensitivity to God--even the vulnerability to God. Now, don't get me wrong: am I saying you should ever fast from God? No, of course not! Your daily life and this world already distract you from God so much already as it is, that is not necessary. The struggle people have all the time is thinking they don't need God. It's important to know in your heart that yes, you do. And that is God sensitivity.
It's a big downer when God simply seems not there; I know. I've been there. What I can say is, if you are in one of those times, the best thing you can do is, go back to Romans 12:2:
Romans 12:2 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 approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.
We all know that God is there, really. But if He seems absent, God could be doing a good thing in your life: building up God sensitivity. We become more acutely aware of our need for God when He is not there--ESPECIALLY as we seek the exact opposite. Of what benefit is God's absence if we weren't even looking for Him anyway? It is when we seek and do not find that we feel the pain--not when we don't even seek.
If God feels absent, just let God work. And meditate on Romans 12:2. In so doing, you will build up your God sensitivity, and maybe these episodes of God's absence will gradually fade further and far between in the future.
I figure someone out there online needed to hear all that.
in Christ!
Romans 12:2 Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.
That has always been a popular theme verse, similar to John 3:16, Jeremiah 29:11&13, Ephesians 2:10, etc.. But then, I read it again, and half of it was left out:
Romans 12:2 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 approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.
Discerning God's will has always been a struggle. Henry Blackaby published an entire Bible study series on it, called "Experiencing God". We pray and pray and pray, and wish that God would just tell us. I confess, I don't entirely know why God doesn't just speak in a voice and tell us; but I do know that the important thing is that we try. We show that we are here, we want to do God's will, but we're just having a hard time knowing what that will is. So we spend time and energy praying, in quiet time, crying out, trying to find out (also a good thing).
Here's the thing: Romans 12:2 offers a key piece. So you want to know God's will? Obey Romans 12:2. Do not be conformed to this world. Continually seek to renew your mind, and see things through God's eyes instead of your own or this world's. Only then will you see God's will. That means shoving aside the ways the world does things--even seemingly "religious" things, such as traditions or politics in the church. And shoving aside your own desires. After all, it is God's will we are seeking--not our own. Believe it or not, even God sometimes conforms His own desires to meet our own. That is what we call an answered prayer. We desire something, we pray for it, and God gives it. But if it is truly God's will we are seeking, we must conform to His desire--not the other way around. As Jesus prayed, "Please take this cup from me. But not my will, but yours." (Matthew 26:39)
Another life lesson I have learned: finding God when God seems absent. Similar to discerning God will, but sometimes not only is finding God's will hard, but even finding God at all. "Look, I'm praying! Where are you?" Allow me to share a life lesson from my parents. Please follow along, because this is going to jump around for a bit before my point starts to all make sense:
One of my parents has diabetes. The other used to have it. Preventing diabetes is one of the reasons why many people recommend that you fast from food from time-to-time, even if just purely for the physical health benefits:
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/16051710/
Yes, you can fast for spiritual reasons, too. But here's the physical benefit: fasting is known to increase insulin sensitivity. Generally, when we think of sensitivity, we think, "vulnerability". But not this time: sensitivity is not always vulnerability. You WANT the insulin sensitivity. If your body develops the opposite: insulin resistance, then you go diabetic. By depriving the body, you make it healthier.
Here's the thing: we need God-sensitivity. Not God resistance. In the same way, a large part of why God makes himself seem absent from time-to-time is because you need that fasting, so as to build up that God-sensitivity. And in the same way, God sensitivity is not vulnerability (even though it can feel that way). You WANT the sensitivity to God--even the vulnerability to God. Now, don't get me wrong: am I saying you should ever fast from God? No, of course not! Your daily life and this world already distract you from God so much already as it is, that is not necessary. The struggle people have all the time is thinking they don't need God. It's important to know in your heart that yes, you do. And that is God sensitivity.
It's a big downer when God simply seems not there; I know. I've been there. What I can say is, if you are in one of those times, the best thing you can do is, go back to Romans 12:2:
Romans 12:2 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 approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.
We all know that God is there, really. But if He seems absent, God could be doing a good thing in your life: building up God sensitivity. We become more acutely aware of our need for God when He is not there--ESPECIALLY as we seek the exact opposite. Of what benefit is God's absence if we weren't even looking for Him anyway? It is when we seek and do not find that we feel the pain--not when we don't even seek.
If God feels absent, just let God work. And meditate on Romans 12:2. In so doing, you will build up your God sensitivity, and maybe these episodes of God's absence will gradually fade further and far between in the future.
I figure someone out there online needed to hear all that.
in Christ!
Last edited:
