A Prayer to Renew Your Mind and Transform Your Thoughts
By: Alicia Searl
Bible Reading:
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. - Romans 12:2
Listen or Read Below:
My husband and I just finished a Bible study on the book of Ephesians with a group of dear friends. It’s been an honor to walk alongside this sweet group of brothers and sisters and help each other grow in our faith. The truth is that it was by divine design that this group came together, as we each share similar stories and are navigating a season that combines both young children and college-aged kids, which, let me say, is a rarity and comes with a unique set of challenges. So, basically, as we delve into the Word, we may be juggling toddlers who are getting into mischief or teens who are loudly rehearsing a skit for a TikTok video. There is never a dull moment!
However, last Sunday, as we opened our hearts to share about what book we are interested in digging into next, the conversation took a bit of a detour as we all shared similar sentiments with real and raw vulnerability. The running theme was that the enemy seemed to be lurking and maliciously attacking our group. Between sickness, financial strain, family obligations, and unexpected life emergencies, our six-week Ephesians study took well over ten weeks to finish. We all sensed that there was an underlying force that was doing everything it could to keep us from meeting.
Not only that, but we all could feel the weight of heaviness in our world that was slowly seeping into our hearts, homes, families, and even our congregations. While we were digging into God’s Word and doing our best to seek real truth and understanding, a strong tug came from another direction, leading us all down different paths of soul-searching.
This must have been the reason why Paul was so adamant about preaching on the simplicity of faith to the Jews and Gentiles in Rome. Just like today, the Christians in Rome had become somewhat divided, with some leaning towards legalism and cultural tradition. They had essentially lost the basis of their faith in Christ Jesus. So, Paul was urging the church to unite and encouraging them to build community.
Friend, when the world feels heavy or the enemy is on the attack, sometimes we must go back to the basics of our faith. It all starts with renewing our minds and transforming our thoughts. This is why I love the book of Romans so much, as it speaks to the hearts of believers, reminding us of God’s goodness and faithfulness and how we should strive to live in unity as the body of believers. (I think I may have just convinced myself to suggest to our group that we dig into the book of Romans next!)
The truth is that the patterns of this world are indeed evil and can lead us down many destructive paths, but God’s faithfulness provides a way for us to focus on His good, pleasing, and perfect will. We can do that by:
1. Meeting with the body of believers on a regular basis, becoming a force that stands firm on the Word of God (1 Corinthians 12:27). The enemy also knows that iron sharpens iron, making us weapons of destruction (Proverbs 27:17), so let’s suit up for the battle (Ephesians 6:10-18) and fight for truth!
2. Reading, reciting, and reclaiming truth – out loud! Proclaiming Bible verses and promises out loud serves many purposes as they become etched into our hearts and revive our minds. Start by proclaiming Romans 3:23, 6:23, 8:28, 10:9, 12:1-2, and 15:13.
3. Giving ourselves grace. Easier said than done, I know. But when we fail and mess up or get sucked into a pattern that goes against God’s will, we always have the opportunity to hand it all over to God with humility through our confession, while graciously seeking repentance. What a precious gift our God extends to us.
Let’s Pray:
Father God, thank you for supplying us with the richness of Your Word. As we live in a world riddled with sin, pain, and grief, grant us the ability to continue to seek Your will by clinging to the many precious promises scattered throughout Your Word. Let those truths flood our hearts and minds as we strive to live them out in a way that honors You, God.
Help us meet regularly with our fellow brothers and sisters, and allow us to grow in unity, professing the truth wrapped in grace. Renew our minds, transform our thoughts, and give us the tools to lean into our faith when this life veers off course. We ask all this in Your holy name. Amen.
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Related Resource: Starting 2026 with Intention: Confidence, Diligence, and God’s Direction
As we begin a brand-new year, I want to help you slow down and listen for God’s invitation in your life. In this episode, we kick off our One Word 2026 series — a simple, prayerful way to reflect on where you’ve been and discern how God may be inviting you to grow in the year ahead.
I introduce the heart behind choosing a spiritual “one word,” not as a goal to achieve, but as a posture to receive. We explore two of the six words I’ll be offering this month — confidence and diligence — and look at how Scripture invites us to grow, not by relying on our own strength, but by trusting God’s faithfulness over time.
This episode is part of our How to Study the Bible Podcast, a show that brings life back to reading the Bible and helps you understand even the hardest parts of Scripture. If this episode helps you know and love God more, be sure to subscribe to the How to Study the Bible Podcast on Apple or Spotify so you never miss an episode!
