Mental Renewal

Romans 12:2New International Version (NIV)

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 has been a long time since i have written on  this blog. When I was writing on it regularly I wrote about creative block, depression, anxiety, productivity, prayer, goal setting and much more. One of the reasons I created this blog is because I am easy prey to all the bad things I write about, especially anxiety and depression and when it's time for me to embrace good habits and practices I am easy prey for the resistance that stops me from doing it. As Paul said in Romans 7:19 - For I do not do the good I want to do, but the evil I do not want to do—this I keep on doing. On my blog I write about things publicly that I hope could help others but primarily it has always existed to help reinforce my own tools for living a healthy God focused life.

I don't have excuses for abandoning this blog as it is ultimately my fault it's gone away. I've had a lot happen to me in the first few years. I do not feel like the same person that I was when I started writing on this site. But the site is still here and I want to bring it back and prayer led me to that fortunately. 

My daily bible verse today was the one at the top of this post - Romans 12:2 and I want to follow this advice and renew my mind. I want to renew it through prayer, and through focusing on piety, study, and action. 

Here was what I thought while reviewing my own mental renewal process:

• Piety - Piety is making God the center of my life. I am going to practice this value by not only remembering to do my daily prayers but to encourage myself into activity that keeps me prayer focused. Also, no more missing church on Sunday. 
• Study - My old study goal was to hit Bible Gateway every day. I have fell out of this habit so I am going to bring it back. To reinforce it I also want to add 2 daily studies to my practice - 1. A daily Bible in hand study 2. A daily pre-seminary focused study. Once I find that I am comfortably following this daily habit I am going to set a project to find an in-person Bible study.
• Action - I confess, I am currently not doing any kind of regular apostolic action. I witness when I am given the opportunity  but I don't stick it out. Refocusing on apostolic action is the main reason I am starting to write on this blog again. 

So as I have done before in previous posts I am going to end this post in a prayer.

Dear Lord, please give me the words I need to type in prayer today. 

I am a failure when I try to do things myself. .It's easy for me to take an arrogant view and attempt to live my life without you and I confess that I have done that. I love you Lord and I thank you for loving me even when I surrender to sin. I pray to you to thank you for being in my life, for making me, me and giving me the free will that you gave me because you love me so much. Please Lord help me to surrender to you. Please fill me with your spirit and help me to be an instrument of your will. Thank you for everything Lord and give me the strength to keep it up. I can't do it without you. Please give me the faith that I need to know that you are always there. Thank you for loving me when I am at my worst.

Amen