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."

Today was the second time that someone had brought up this bible verse or the themes in it while talking with me recently I took some time to reflect on this verse today. 

These past few weeks for me have been terribly rough. I've been stressed out, crying almost daily, and overall feeling pretty down about myself. What brought this all up you may ask? Although I cannot pin point exactly what it was, I can sum up all of what I believe to been the cause into just one word: college. 

This year classes are more difficult, classmates all seem to be smarter, time has grown scarcer... And yet I don't think that's what is causing this distress I've been feeling. As I look back on the semester thus far, I believe the source is that I've been conforming more to the college lifestyle. No, I'm not out living la vida loca, but I'm allowing myself to become more caught up in negative aspects of it. 

This year, as I meet more fellow food science majors, the competitive person in me is taking over. Now, competition isn't all bad. A lot of people use competition as a motivator and generally make it into a positive thing. However, being the sports fanatic that I am, I approach competition with a win/lose mindset and lately, I've only been seeing myself as the loser. I've allowed jealousy to sneak in and pride to take over, so, in a way, I am the loser, but not in the sense I've been feeling. You see, jealousy and pride are not of God and they bring us farther from Him. By conforming to these worldly emotions, I've grown apart from something much greater than this world - I've grown farther from the one who created it.

Now, realizing these things and working to dismiss those thoughts isn't going to magically make everything better. It isn't going to make my classes easier and it isn't going to make time suddenly appear in the day, but what it can (and hopefully will) change is my attitude about the situation. This is where I believe the second part of this verse comes in. 

Part of the reason I feel so terribly about the situation is because I always think of how everything could effect the future (the worldly future that is). I think about how a bad test grade can lead to a bad class grade which can lead to a terrible GPA which can be the reason I don't get a job in a few years which could lead to me not being successful and... Well, I think you get the idea. However, the second half of this verse says that once I put down all of these worldly things and allow myself to be renewed in Him, I'll be able to see God's will for me. A will that is "good, pleasing, and perfect" not only TO Him, but FOR me as well (even if I don't always see it). 

Wowza. Can you imagine that? Knowing exactly what God wants you to do in this life that will bring you straight to Him in the afterlife? Our life in this world can so often seem like the end-all be-all, but as Christians we've got a whole eternity to worry about on the other side. And, frankly, I think that one's far more important than my competitive side needing to "win" this life by bringing myself and others down. 

So friends, dare to be different. Do not allow the attitudes and expectations of this world to bring you down, instead rise above and allow the fire you have for Christ to constantly be rekindled through faith, hope, charity, and love so that you may come closer to knowing God's greatest desire for you (besides an eternity with Him and all His angels). 

God bless!