How To Make A Real Change In Your Life

Do you remember sermons and lessons on the "Thou shalt not's and the Thou shalts" of Christianity. I do and I also remember at times feeling really awful because I never seemed to measure up no matter how hard I tried. You might be like this too.

Then I found out that behind the behaviors are our attitudes. In reading Scriptures I thought God was looking at the attitudes that prompted our "bad" or sinful behaviors. There is a measure of truth to this, but I found that even when working on attitudes much of the change is slow and small.

A least part of our failure in changing behaviors and attitudes is because there is a level beneath them that is vital. That level is called different things like "our worldview" or "our paradigm". Whatever the label is, this level has to do with how we see life - in other words, how we perceive and understand all that life is. This process is often unconscious and unevaluated simply because we do not conceive of any other way to look at life and assume it is the only way and the correct way.

In writing about this Stephen Covey says, "We simply assume that the way we see things is the way they really are or the way they should be. And our attitudes and behaviors grow out of those assumptions. The way we see things is the source of the way we think and the way we act." The 7 Habits Of Highly Effective People. p. 24

So what really needs to be changed is the way we see life. Some people call this "developing a Biblical worldview", others say "paradigm shift"; whatever you call it - it involves a whole new set of perceptions, interpretations, and assumptions.

Interestingly this is what Jesus advocated in the Sermon on the Mount when He kept going beyond a specific behavior to the mind change that was needed first. Paul puts it this way, "Do not conform any longer 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." {Romans 12:2}

I see Christians dealing with situations two different ways. Some interpret Scripture in such a way as to adjust Scripture to fit their view of things or transform Scripture to fit their pattern. The other way is to interpret one's view of things in light of Scripture. This is transforming the mind or pattern to fit Scripture. There is a huge difference between the two approaches.

God was dealing with Peter about this issue when He gave Peter the famous vision on that rooftop in Joppa. God told Peter not to call anything unclean that He called clean. Then Peter had to deal with the messengers from the Gentile, Roman Cornelius. Would Peter keep his view of Gentiles and stay safely within his Palestinian Jewish view of things or allow God to transform his view of Gentiles? As we know from Acts 10 Peter changed!

Peter's decision to follow God this way was contested, yet he stayed obedient and the Church was opened up for everyone. This paradigm shift was confirmed in Acts 15 and is reflected throughout the Epistles.

Today God is still calling us to break out of the pattern of our culture and the fallen world around us. We are still commanded to transform our minds. If we are to have a chance to truly change our sinful behaviors and attitudes, we have to start transforming the way we see reality.

To accomplish this mind shift: we have to decide that we desire to change, then we have to act on that desire. That decision involves a few basic things. We must decide that no matter what we will obey God. Second we need to saturate our minds with His Word and decide that God's Word will be the authority in all areas of our life. Third, we need to spend time praying with God.

As a Christian your task is to cooperate with God in changing the pattern of your thinking and in transforming your mind.

Written by Rev. Daniel B. Baker June 2005



Articles by Rev. Daniel B. Baker :: Webmaster: Joseph I. Baker