Transformational grace

"Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your minds, so that you may discern what is the will of God—what is good and acceptable and perfect."

So, uh, er, what does that mean? If it's a Wednesday morning and the air is gentle on my mind, how in the heck does it get transformed?

And what's the world? And how am I conformed to it?

Let's go at this subject this way: 

Say someone became a Christian in mind and heart two months ago. He attends church, he's making new friends, but anger is still a constant challenge. Irritation starts when people don't treat him the way he thinks they should. He prays, but he still gets angry.

Say someone else has been a Christian all his or her life. But he grew up with a father who verbally abused him. He still hears his father telling him he would never amount to anything. The damage is hanging on even though he or she is a grand parent and loves God with all they can muster.

How many Christians are caught up in these battles, major battles at that, in their own minds? We hear a lot about being new creations and about how the old has gone. But we look around and there are bits and pieces of the old us hanging on.

Temptation remains. Effort remains. We know that to be what others say is a "successful Christian" means to follow Jesus, to obey what he taught, to love others, even to grow spiritually. But our minds still are battle fields.

Well, folks, join the crowd of humans.

But this morning, with a touch of coolness spreading like Christianity in the ancient Roman Empire, there is Good News. Heck, it's great news at that.

The Bible says that even while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. For us. All of us.

What that means is grace is available for the newby and for the ancient ones. 

Grace that can't be bought.
Grace that can't be explained some of the time.
Grace that is mind-boggling, even transformational.

Grace that extends to us when we need it most. I've seen incredible movements of the Holy Spirit that began with a drip of grace to someone who was so broken that it seemed we would have to get some Monkey Glue out and do some patching. Instead, God reached a mighty pinky out and said to that person, "I love you...despite."

Despite covers all our stuff. He loves us despite what we've done, thought, been. He doesn't love us ... because. There is NOTHING we can do to make Him love us more, or less for that matter.

That's mind-transforming.
That's heart-bending.
That's spirit-renewing.
That's life -- with Jesus.