Change is never easy. Beginning the process requires a willingness to break out of our comfortable routines and embrace something new and unfamiliar. Genuine transformation begins with changing how we think; we do this by letting God’s Word influence our thought processes. Despite the discomfort, choosing His way of thinking over the world’s mindset is well worth the effort.

Real Change Requires Renewing Our Minds

Changing our thinking is more than just learning something new; it involves a renewal of the entire mind. Most people don’t want to bother with it because it takes real work to examine everything they’ve learned in their lives up to that point, compare it with God’s Word, and decide whether to keep or reject it. Change happens on more than one level. Accepting Jesus Christ changes our spirits instantly; renewing our mind, however, is a constant process.

We are not our bodies; we’re spirit beings living in physical bodies and possessing souls. Our souls are where our minds, thoughts, and emotions reside. When we get born again, our old, sinful spirits die and God gives us new spirits as perfect and righteous as His. “Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new” (2 Corinthians 5:17). Our spirits—the essence of who we are—have been renewed, but our souls still need work.  

Change is Gradual and Ongoing

The old things passing away and becoming a new creation is the immediate result of a decision to get born again. This opens us up to new life in Christ. Embracing this new life requires a shift in thinking, from the world’s philosophies to God’s way of thinking. Changing the way we think is ongoing; it takes patience, and the humility to let Him teach us.

This process is necessary on our Christian journey toward a constantly increasing level of spiritual maturity. It allows us to enjoy the same kind of resurrection life that Jesus enjoys. “Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life” (Romans 6:4). We can’t walk in this newness of life without renewing our minds; they go hand-in-hand.

Exchanging Our Perspective for God’s Perspective

Understanding the process of change is critical. Lots of Christians have gotten born again and have a new creation living inside them but don’t walk in the newness of life. Renewing the mind isn’t just making a few minor adjustments, but embracing an entirely new lifestyle based on God’s perspective and exchanging our thoughts for His thoughts. Just like we take off an old outfit to put on new clothes, we take off our old spiritual man and put on our new spiritual man. “And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness” (Ephesians 4:24). 

The comparison between a change of mind and a change of clothes was very important to Paul, who urged the Colossians to put away their old lifestyle based on the world and put on the new lifestyle patterned after God. “Lie not one to another, seeing that ye have put off the old man with his deeds; And have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him” (Colossians 3:9, 10). This goes right back to renewing the mind. It’s impossible to do the things that please God without first thinking the things that please Him.

For us, this means that if we want to fully see the expression of the new creation in us, it’s time to start renewing our minds. This is a big job, and we can’t do it alone; the good news is that God is involved in this. He’s committed to it, and He’ll continue to work in us for the rest of our lives.   

Trusting God to Transform Us

We could never change ourselves for the better, but relying on God to do the job guarantees success and forward progress. He can easily do things we can’t. He has resources beyond our human comprehension and His unlimited kindness and goodness have transformative power. “Or despisest thou the riches of his goodness and forbearance and longsuffering; not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance?” (Romans 2:4).

To repent doesn’t mean just saying we’re sorry; it’s a change of mind that leads to a change of behavior. It’s a change in direction. God uses love and kindness—even when we’re not loving or kind—to get our attention and bring us around to His point of view. This is amazingly effective, and is something only He can do.

We Realign Our Thoughts with God’s Thoughts

The kind of motivation God supplies us with isn’t based on how good we are, but on how good He is. This gives us strong encouragement to renew our minds as part of the process of change. If God has ever done anything good in our lives, it’s because He’s trying to lead us down the path of change that will benefit us.

Real change goes deeper than the surface level and rearranges our thinking. God is telling us not to think like the world, but to learn new attitudes straight from His Word. “Do not be conformed to this world (this age), [fashioned after and adapted to its external, superficial customs], but be transformed (changed) by the [entire] renewal of your mind [by its new ideals and its new attitude], so that you may prove [for yourselves] what is the good and acceptable and perfect will of God, even the thing which is good and acceptable and perfect [in His sight for you]” (Romans 12:2, AMPC). Only when we line our thinking up with God’s thinking can we begin to get an idea of His will for our lives.   

Breaking out of the shell of our old attitudes and mindsets brings us out of the comfort zone that the world gravitates toward. Beginning the journey and staying the course requires that we trust in and rely on God to guide us every step of the way. The decision to start is up to us, but He’s waiting to walk with us. Choosing His way over the world’s way ultimately leads to vastly brighter futures.