At Glades, we are finishing up “Transformed,” which is a seven week study by Rick Warren. What an awesome experience! Rick Warren has done a great job examining seven areas of our lives with hope of being transformed in each area: Spiritual, Emotional, Relational, Physical, Financial, Mental, and Vocational.
Romans 12:2 English Standard Version (ESV)
2 Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.
Romans 12:2 is one of the many powerful verses from the study. We could say it was the main theme verse though. How cool would it be to have a better life, to be better in the Spiritual, emotional, relational, physical, financial, mental, and vocational areas of my life?
Some questions Kristin and I have asked throughout this study are: Why is it so hard to become transformed? Why don’t people want to be transformed? Why would people rather conform to the world, even though they see the world around us FALLING apart? Isn’t there a better way?
Yes! There is a better way…God’s way!!!!
I have had so much fun teaching and leading this study. (I know Kristin has thoroughly enjoyed facilitating her small group as well.) It's also been challenging for us as well. We have personally experienced change in our lives, and we are looking forward to the continued changes/challenges as we work towards our goals in each of these areas of our lives. (We set goals each week.)
Why are people so resistant to God’s way of living life? Even though we have found ourselves here before, that is something I just struggle to understand. We have learned over the years that God has a better way! God gives us more joy and a greater life than any worldly life will ever give us.
Why would people rather stay 'ok' rather than be GREAT or AWESOME? I just don’t get it. Kristin and I ponder this often. We've been taught that there's always room to learn and be better than where/who we are now...
We don’t understand why so many people wouldn’t commit 3 hours a week to transform their lives by attending worship, participating in a small group, and staying on top of daily devotions. What a blessing these hours have been for us! (I think those who participated these last 7 weeks would agree about how life-changing and worthwhile this study has been.)
I understand it is hard and time consuming, but nothing worth while is ever easy. We all have 24 hours in a day so we are ALL in the same boat there.
Any insight or explanation you can give us would be helpful and greatly appreciated.
Thanks,
Carter
