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.

It’s almost like following Romans 12:2 gives us a superpower in a way; being able to determine what is right and wrong.  By being able to look at a situation or scenario and being able to test whether it is aligned with God’s will, ‘is it good, pleasing and perfect?’, we are able to not only make choices that will affect others in a positive, good and pleasing way, but our choices will affect ourselves in a good and pleasing way. As Paul writes in his letter to the Romans, everything God wills is good, pleasing and perfect. Unfortunately, us humans are not able to truly master the ‘perfect’ part of the test, because we’re not perfect. We even struggle to understand practically what ‘perfect’ means when it comes to God’s will. We know in our hearts that God’s perfect will is everything he does is to lead us into a closer relationship with him, but practically when raging wars happen and millions of die of diseases, it’s very hard to see the ‘perfection’ in that all. Using Romans 12:2 as a guide, we can come up with two steps for looking at the world around us, the situations we are in at home, work and abroad, and determine if it is right or wrong.

Step 1: Renew your minds

‘Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.’

A runner needs to train daily to win the Olympics. A scientist needs to study and research to write their dissertation. A manager needs to constantly refine their strategy to ensure the best outcomes for the company. A Christian is no different. If we want the ability to determine right and wrong, we need to train, and train smart. We need to train our minds to be renewed. But with most efficient training, it’s not about the quantity, it’s the quality of the training that builds strength and increases abilities. We want to renew our minds by being deep in God’s word and understanding who he is, what he stands for, and what the Gospel means for our everyday lives. Going to church once a week, bible study groups once a week isn’t going to cut it. I know I’ve had to make an incredibly conscious decision to study my bible daily and pray daily. It definitely started as a quantity thing; making sure I studied three verses a day and prayed for about two minutes in the morning. But over time, my heart has longed to learned more and more, and I find myself just start praying to God at the most random times, praising him for all he’s doing in my life, even when life is as fun as a bed of live chickens.

Step 2: Test and approve

Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.

While you’re renewing your mind, start practicing the testing and approving. Think about everything you do in your day. Choose one task and give it the test; ‘Would this activity be pleasing to God? Is it good for me and others? Would a perfect God approve of it?’ Chances are if there is even an inkling in your head and heart that something might not be pleasing to God, there’s a good chance you should explored further. Don’t just assume ‘it’s not any good or pleasing’, but determine why it’s not good and/or pleasing. If you just do the first half, you’ll probably replace the activity with something else that’s just as not good and just as unpleasing; satisfying the same desire you had before.

Even as I write this, it is a scary process for me. How many things in my life is just me either denying that they are unpleasing to God, and how many things do I not want to change because they bring me fleeting joy and satisfaction? But gaining this ability will enable you to stop future unpleasing activities before they even start, enabling you to focus more on things that will give you real peace, real joy and real strength; God’s got all that covered for you if you seek him out.