The Renovation of the Mind

Picture yourself in a dark, old house. There’s puke green carpet all over the floors, cobwebs hanging from the ceilings, dusty old furniture covered with sheets, low ceilings with outdated light fixtures, and everywhere you look it’s dark.

Not a drop of light anywhere.

You’re standing there with a stack of papers in your hand. The ones you just signed at the bank. The house is yours, and now it’s your job to make it a home.

There’s just one little problem: You know nothing about home improvements.

What would you do?

Would you sit down and cry? Panic? Forget you ever bought the house and head for the nearest donut shop? Or would you pick up a crowbar and get to work?

The renewing of the mind is like fixing up a rickety, old house.

The cobwebs are the lies we believe about life and people. The darkness comes from not looking at life through the light of the Word. The shag carpet that runs through the house is like a single lie that affects all areas of our lives. Life should be easy, for example. Or I deserve the good life.

Our job is to open up the windows and let the light of God’s Word in so it can transform us. That’s different than opening the drapes and plopping down on the couch with a good book.

If we’re looking for transformation, we need to be active about it: Look around and see what needs to be changed. Seek out the Designer and Creator of our minds and ask Him for help. Keep our mind improvement manual—the Bible—open at all times for consultation. Pick up the crowbar of truth and get to work on removing that carpet of lies.

If you’ve ever done a home improvement project, you know it’s not an exact science. Instead, it’s a messy, time-consuming and often expensive project that requires a lot of sacrifice on your part.

It’s the same way with transformation. As we get into the process, don’t make the mistake of thinking this is the easy three-step plan to fix up your life. It’s not.

Instead, it’s a way of life. A continual taking off of the lies and putting on of the truth, in order to love Him and others better.

Note: If you’d like to read more about this whole process, spend some time studying Ephesians 4:17-24. As you read it, remember that Paul is talking to Christians. This passage isn’t about salvation; it’s about sanctification.