(Not this one.)
Are you aware of having certain patterns in your life tat you are unable — even unwilling to change? They seem so entrenched, so beyond your ability to do anything about. You might even see yourself walking in the same path of a parent or a parent’s parent and you realize this rut runs generations deep. How am I ever going to be able to overcome against these odds?
The scriptures give us a clue as to how to answer that in Romans 12:2 where Paul wrote, “Do not be conformed any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.” Being conformed to a pattern sounds a lot like being in a rut. We all have ruts we run in. Paul suggests that the way to a new path is through renewing our minds. This makes sense when you realize that the patterns we run in are fueled in large part by our thinking. We have these old tapes that constantly run over and over again. They tell us we can’t change, or we are not loved, or such and such has too much power over us, or it will cost to much in personal investment to change. We might actually have to work at change — be awake and alert to it — make ourselves make different choices. Believe me, this is hard.
By renewing our minds, we remind ourselves that there are new tapes where we are concerned, played by the Holy Spirit and power is available for change through his presence in our lives. Even in this Book of Romans there are life-changing truths that can break the patterns. For instance earlier in this book he told us that we’re all in sin — even the “best” of us — but that Christ’s death and resurrection has set us free from that sin. We no longer have to subject ourselves to the vicious sin and guilt cycle because Christ has removed us from being wed to the law to being wed to Himself. We have a new husband as it were, and this one is full of grace, truth and forgiveness. We are not tied to a taskmaster; we are tied to Christ. And then there is the new life in the Spirit made possible by Christ being in us to the extent that we can actually take off that old life —the one that runs in all those ruts — and put on the new life that Christ has made possible.
These are truths you can renew your mind with. This is not just positive thinking or a motivational weekend designed to blow us out of our ruts and give us new tapes to run (those tapes you have to buy at the end of the weekend). These tapes are true, because they are based on God’s word, and God’s word never returns without accomplishing what it says.
This is why we need reminders. New ways of thinking that God has established as a fact in space and time and you and I can count on for our step by step life in the trenches.
Yes, it will take effort. Change doesn’t come easy nor does it come overnight, but it comes as we purposely focus on the new truths about ourselves that Christ has won. We are loved. We are forgiven. We have his Spirit. We don’t have to walk in those old ruts. We can break the pattern. There is no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus.
There are a lot of bad tapes out there; there’s a lot of negative reinforcement in here. Do nothing and you probably will keep on rattling along in the same rut. Renew your mind with God’s word and His truth about yourself and you can stand down those old tapes and start down a new path. It’s worth it. We aren’t just waiting for heaven. We are fighting a battle here. We are on a mission. We have a gospel to live out. If it doesn’t work in our life, how can we recommend it to anyone else?
John Fischer The Catch 
Great Post!!!!! Everyday is a new day, take the challenge and be about Christ’s mission in the world. What can you change today?
Not only will it take effort but it will take courage as well.
Too many of us, even though we desire/require change, are too afraid to leave our ‘comfy’ familiar ruts despite the knowledge they lead either to nowhere, or down a dead end or, like a skipping phonograph record, along the path of repetitiveness (until someone lifts the tonearm).
Transformation and active renewal are virtues that require bravery and determination on both individual and societal levels.
Every one of us are daily faced with the choice of doing something significantly different but, alas, too many of us are too content to let things stay the way they are and ‘not rock the boat’ of our personal lives, our ‘circles of influence’, our Churches, or our communities.
Is today THE DAY we choose differently? I’m game…
This is an excellent reminder Thank you!
just like everything that comes from Him, perfect timing.
it was my timing and thinking that was in error.
This recent rut in which I found myself was because I was not faithfully into His Word.
I was greatly affected by my recent troubles and I believe it served to awaken me with a shock!
I am back on track in line with Him and today’s Catch confirmed the change.
Thank you Jesus and thank you Fischer Family.
Good Catch!
Been down that road, am there, doing that. And even though I know that the battle belongs to the Lord, it’s still tough. Thanks for the reminder, I needed that.
Hi, long-time lurker here, but had to pipe up on this one! Brain scientists have shown this to be true – our brains get ‘wired’ to a certain way of thinking or acting. But new studies have shown the brain has ‘plasticity’ – that its wiring can be changed. Our minds can literally be re-wired by the Holy Spirit! Old thoughts and patterns can be wiped away and replaced with the new ones, which bring life and light. (I just love it when science backs up the Bible! 🙂
Wonderful, isn’t She ?
Piping up is good ! Thank you Kris
nice post John. thanks for all you do.
“Renew your mind with God’s word and His truth about yourself and you can stand down those old tapes and start down a new path.”…
First, I want to thank you for writing this very encouraging post. I was up very early praying (and some pouting) about my disappointments with life, etc…All the while knowing that I have been in a rut and a very ‘funky’ pattern of negative thinking throughout most of my life; lots of losses as you know. But that last paragraph (specifically the lines I copied above) made me feel very needy. I need a lot of help with how to use the Bible in this way. So I wondered if you might share or even create a ‘catch’ that speaks on how you study the Bible to know His truth about yourself. Thanks again, John, for your service.