Romans 12:2 in the J. B. Phillips says, “Don’t let the world around you squeeze you into its own mould, but let God re-mould your minds from within, so that you may prove in practice that the plan of God for you is good, meets all his demands and moves towards the goal of true maturity.”

1 John 1:6 says, “If we say that we have fellowship with Him, and walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth.” We practice truth by bringing it into our lives. It becomes part of our thought processes. Our words and actions reflect our hearts.

Ephesians 3:19 Amplified says, “(That you may really come) to know (practically, through experience for yourselves)…” It is like wallpaper on our hearts.

The truth that sets us free is experiential. John 8:32. The Greek word for know is to perceive, understand, recognize, gain knowledge, realize, come to know. We know our pushy flesh by experience. The Holy Spirit works to bring inner transformation, so that truth becomes an active part of our lives and defeats our flesh.

The caterpillar spins a cocoon and waits for its transformation. I call that process the dark night of the soul. The caterpillar melts. From the liquid the butterfly is formed. After it emerges, its body is swollen with liquid. Through an intense struggle the liquid is distributed into its wings. If it didn’t persevere it would die.

Our hard trials enclose us in the unknown. Are you in a difficult circumstance right now? Do you feel overwhelmed with no answers or solutions? You may feel like an old rubber band. If you are stretched any further you will snap in two.

David was overwhelmed. Psalm 61:1-2 says, “Hear my cry, O God; attend to my prayer. From the end of the earth I will cry to You, when my heart is overwhelmed; lead me to the rock that is higher than I.” We process the present through embracing Him. We cling to His words of truth. 

Our trials purify our faith. The enemy of our soul plants thoughts that take seed and seep into our thought-life. They lie dormant until we face an impossibility. Doubts emerge. 

Think about your inner-dialogue. Do you speak truth in your heart to yourself? Psalm 15:2. Is the Lord pleased with your thought-life? Psalm 19:14. Does your conversation with others build them up or leave them empty? Ephesians 4:29.

Years ago I was driving with my friend. We were talking about how the Holy Spirit moved during a prayer time we had at church. We were excitedly sharing when all of a sudden I stopped. I said to her, “Do you realize the Lord is listening to us and recording our words in a book?”

Malachi 3:16 says, “Then those who feared the Lord spoke to one another, and the Lord listened and heard them; so a book of remembrance was written before Him for those who fear the Lord and meditate on His name.”

We either resist God’s words of instruction or we embrace them and make them our own. Our hard trials are designed to train us in His righteousness. His way of conforming us to His image, is essential for our spiritual maturity. Our strength is in the struggle.

We are created to exemplify the Lord through every aspect of our lives. It all starts with our thoughts. Our minds were not renewed at the moment of our salvation. The instant we accepted the Lord, His Holy Spirit came to dwell within us.

John 14:25 says, “But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you.” Our Parakletos comes alongside us to instruct us in God’s ways.

He is right there to bring course correction the moment we veer off the path of truth. He warns through conviction of sin, when a temptation is placed before us. As we walk in the Spirit, He will guide us through that still small voice within.

Our design matures during our journey of progressive sanctification. Hebrews 13:21 says that He will, “Make you complete in every good work to do His will, working in you what is well pleasing in His sight through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen.”

Genesis 1:26 says, “Then God said, Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness…” Romans 8:29 says, “For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son…”

Hebrews 1:3 says, “Who being the brightness of His glory and the express image of His person, and upholding all things by the word of His power, when He had Himself purged our sins, sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high.”

Colossians 1:15 says, “He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation.” We are created in the likeness of the invisible God. How are we as visible beings conformed to His image?

Romans 12:2 Amplified says to not be conformed to this world, “…but be transformed (changed) by the (entire) renewal of your mind (by its new ideals and its new attitude)…” Ephesians 4:23 Amplified says, “And be constantly renewed in the spirit of your mind (having a fresh mental and spiritual attitude).”

Zechariah 4:6 says, “…not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit…”

Proverbs 23:7 says, “For as he thinks in his heart, so is he…” The Lord has given us a heart to hide His word in. It is His hidden word that is designed to permeate the motives of our thought life.

Psalm 104:34 says, “May my meditation be sweet to Him; I will be glad in the Lord.” How is your thought life? Is it pleasing to the Lord? Psalm 19:14 says, “Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in Your sight, O Lord, my strength and my Redeemer.”

We can, in a moment, affect our physical bodies by our thoughts. Allowing our mind to veer into fear or worry instantly takes us into fight or flight. That causes our heart rate to increase, our breathing becomes fast and shallow, adrenaline is pumped into our muscles, and our digestion stops. All from a thought!

We create stress or calm through our thoughts. Philippians 4:8 has a list to gauge our thoughts by. Are your thoughts noble, just, pure, lovely, good report, virtuous, or praiseworthy?

Psalm 18:30 says, “As for God, His way is perfect; the word of the Lord is proven; He is a shield to all who trust in Him.” The Lord uses our hard trials to conform us to His ways. David understood this.

Psalm 138:8 says, “The Lord will perfect that which concerns me…” Psalm 18:32 says, “It is God who arms me with strength, and makes my way perfect.”

In Isaiah 55:8-9 we read that God’s ways and thoughts are far higher than our ways and thoughts. That means that our ways, which are driven by our flesh, are inferior. Why don’t we remember this when we do things in our own strength?

We forget this vital truth that never changes. John 15:5 says, “…without Me you can do nothing.” John 6:63 says, “It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh profits nothing. The words that I speak to you are spirit, and they are life.”

Galatians 5:16 says, “…Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lusts of the flesh.” Wallpaper for our hearts.

It is easy to delay doing things that we are not excited about doing. It is easy to make little concessions or compromises. I’m thinking about Proverbs 24:30-34. As you read the verses, note the progression of destruction.

Verse 30-31 says, “I went by the field of the lazy man, and by the vineyard of the man devoid of understanding. And there it was, all overgrown with thorns; its surface was covered with nettles.”

In verse 32 the passerby said that they saw it, considered it well, looked on it, and received instruction. That is a great way for us to read God’s word so we can apply it to our lives. Verse 33 is the perfect picture of slothfulness. It says, “A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to rest.”

The vineyard keeper lacked the understanding of how essential diligence is in every aspect of life. Verse 34 says, “So shall your poverty come like a prowler, and your need like an armed man.” Proverbs 10:4 is a great warning. It says, “He has a slack hand becomes poor…”

2 Peter 1:4 says that we have been given exceeding great and precious promises, “…that through these you may be partakers of the divine nature…” Since the Lord uses every aspect of our lives to conform us to His image, He is constantly developing His character of longsuffering in us.

Ephesians 4:1 says that we are called to walk worthy. Verse 2-3 tells us how. It says, “With all lowliness and gentleness with longsuffering, bearing with one another in love, endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.”

Hebrews 6:12 says, “That you do not become sluggish, but imitate those who through faith and patience, inherit the promises.” The Greek word for patience means long temper. Note in my Bible: It describes a person who has the power to exercise revenge but instead exercises restraint.

Longsuffering is also listed as a fruit of the Spirit. Galatians 5:22. As we continually yield to the work of the Holy Spirit, He will help us die to our fleshly impatience ~ bearing the fruit of longsuffering which glorifies the Lord.

2 Peter 3:9 says, “…He is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.” Paul’s charge to Timothy is our mandate as well. 2 Timothy 4:2 says, “Preach the word! Be ready in season and out of season. Convince, rebuke, exhort, with all longsuffering and teaching.”

Let’s recall how the Lord strategically rerouted in order to minister to an unbeliever. He was on His way to Galilee. John 4:4 says, “But he needed to go through Samaria.” His disciples questioned Him afterwards. Verse 34 recorded His words, “…My food is to do the will of Him who sent Me, and to finish His work.”

Our flesh is impatient. We often miss an opportunity the Lord sets before us because we are too focused on our agenda. Galatian 5:16 says to walk in the Spirit. That means to be aware and attentive, so we can hear and obey His promptings.

As we walk with our ears attentive, we will hear, “…This is the way, walk in it whenever you turn…” Isaiah 30:21.