Undaunted.Life: A Man's DevotionalSample

MENTAL, Day 3: Renewal to Discernment

As men, when we come to a fork in the road we just want to know which way to go. Not only that, but we want to know the correct path to take the first time!

Now, we can look at this both literally and figuratively. If we are on a road trip and our GPS isn’t working, we would much prefer to take the correct roads to get to our destination the quickest. If we have multiple job offers that we like, we don’t want to make the wrong decision and then end up regretting our choice. If we are in a moral quandary, we want to make sure that we only confide in people that can/will help us through that particular situation.

The key to all of the above situations and ones like them is our mindset. The human brain is the most complex and powerful organ in the body. An interesting thing to note about our brain is that it doesn’t have moral presets. Effectively, it is morally neutral. Our morality is learned. However, it can be influenced.

If we constantly put bad and negative things into our brains, it will begin to bend in that direction. The same can be said for if we fill our brains with good and positive things. Now, what impact does that have for us in light of what Paul says in Romans 12:2?

We are to actively fight against succumbing to the mindset of the world. How do we do that? Paul says we do this by transforming ourselves. How do we do that? Paul says that we do this by renewing our minds. How do we do that? Well, that’s not as easy to answer...

Normally, men like to tackle tasks where there is immediate accomplishment and gratification. The sink is leaking, so we fix it. If we did it right, we won’t have to fix it again the next day. But in order to renew our minds, it isn’t a one-and-done type of thing. It’s a process. It’s a DAILY process. Also, it’s a process that we must welcome the Holy Spirit into. It’s not something that we can do on our own by white-knuckle effort and strain. And again, it’s something that we have to do every single day.

It may be difficult to do this, but the worthiness of this endeavor cannot be understated. The truth of the matter is that a changed mind via the Holy Spirit unlocks our personal ability to discern God’s will for our lives. If that didn’t click just now, go back and read the previous sentence again…

Taking the right road, picking the right job, and selecting the right person to help are all important, but you surely know that those pale in comparison to knowing God’s will for your life. Take the steps. Make it a priority. Let the Holy Spirit in. Renew your mind.

What steps can you take today to allow the Holy Spirit to renew your worldly mind?