How to Have Lasting Change

“Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.” Romans 12:2 (NIV) To have lasting change, I need to refocus my mind. Specifically, I need to change my thought patterns away from what I don’t want to focus on and toward what I do want to focus on. Because whatever I focus on is what I move toward.  Romans 12:2 says, “Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind” (Romans 12:2 NIV). This is the blueprint that is needed in order to change your thought patterns:  “Do not conform” – How often do I let other people shape my life? God doesn’t want me to be like someone else; he wants me to be the person he made me to be. So don’t copy others, don’t conform, and don’t try to be like anyone else. “The pattern of this world” – Pattern means the model of everything I've learned in life. If I want to change, I have to replace the blueprint I learned in life. I need to swap out the old, unhealthy pattern with a new one modeled after the life of Christ. “Be transformed by the renewing of your mind” – Transformed is the same word used for metamorphosis, the process a caterpillar goes through to become a butterfly. In the same way, God wants to transform me into a completely new person by renewing my mind.  How does this happen? The Bible tells you in Ephesians 4:22-24 “to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; to be made new in the attitude of your minds; and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness” (NIV). This means I have to do some putting off and some putting on—and the putting off has to happen before the putting on. It’s just like trying on clothes in a store. Before I can try on the new stuff, I need to take the old stuff off. I can start today by asking God to help me begin to let go of the old attitudes and thought patterns I’ve been living with. Then get ready to put on the new garments God has for me. In summary: Lasting change begins with renewing the mind. Romans 12:2 emphasizes the importance of not conforming to worldly patterns but transforming through a renewed mindset. This involves replacing old, unhealthy thought patterns with a Christ-like blueprint. The process of transformation is like metamorphosis, requiring us to first "put off" the old self before we can "put on" the new. By asking God for help, we can let go of negative attitudes and embrace new, righteous thinking.