October 14, 2020

“Do not be conformed to this age, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may discern what is the good, pleasing, and perfect will of God.” – Romans 12:2

Discernment. This is something that is desperately needed in our country right now. Any election year requires discernment, but with the incredible amount of unrest and division in our country and even in our churches this year, discernment is critical. I’m not simply talking about knowing what is best for the economy, or healthcare, or foreign policy. All those things are important and the decisions we make in those areas are a natural result of our discernment. But the discernment I’m talking about is the ability to know the will of God. We are blessed to live in a country where we have a say in national issues. But when this is the case, it is easy to carry out our will; even making the mistake of calling our will God’s will.

So how do we guard against this? We must keep from being conformed to the world. Instead we must be transformed with a new mind; an entirely new way of thinking. How? You are going to be conformed to that which you give the majority of your time. So, let me ask you a few questions: Do you spend more time looking at the news or looking at your Bible? Do you spend more time scrolling through social media or scrolling through your prayer list? Do you spend more time talking about how wrong the “other side” is or talking about how good your God is? Only a mind that refuses to be conformed to this world and surrenders to being transformed by the Holy Spirit will be able to discern God’s will. And this discernment should always be our number one priority for every single day. The will of God is not just something that comes up on a ballot every four years. It should permeate every aspect of our lives and inform every decision we make.

Father, as we turn our eyes to You every day, let the influence of this world fade away and let our minds be fully transformed in unity with You and Your will.

In Christ’s Service,

Pastor Shane Cannon