“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).

Have you ever wondered:

• Why do Koreans like Korean food?
• Why do Mexicans like Mexican food?
• Why do Americans like American food?

It’s all food. But all tastes very different. How come we like what we like? Why do certain foods give us comfort when it doesn’t do the same for others?

The thing is, we are constantly being shaped by the world we live in. The smells, the sights, the environment…all of it is constantly shaping our tastes, thoughts, and values.

But here is where Christ-followers are to be diligent. Unless we commit to God shaping us by and through God’s word, we will find ourselves shaped contrary to God’s truths.

Above our allegiance to the culture around us, we are to place our ultimate allegiance to Jesus. This takes both intentionality and effort. Being shaped by God’s truths doesn’t just happen. We have to work at it. We have to read and study God’s word. We have to read books, listen to sermons, and discuss with others the truths of God so that God’s truths shape us.

“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 and pleasing and perfect will” (Romans 12:2).

Thank you for doing your part by starting with this devotional every morning. Commit to reading and studying God’s word with others. Commit to worshiping God. This is how we work against the world constantly shaping us into its image.

“For the entire law is fulfilled in keeping this one command: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself'” (Galatians 5:14).

Because we are human, because we are selfish, because we are all sinners we are going to hurt others by our words and actions. It’s not a matter of if we hurt others but a matter of when. It goes with being a sinner.

Just as we hurt others, others will hurt us.

What a fine world we live in!!! What are we to do? How then can we live?

How can we live in a way that honors God and honors one another? How can we love our neighbor as ourselves?

Here is the key: You absolutely have the right to be hurt when others injure and betray us. But you never have the right to be cruel and mean.

Because we are sinners, we are going to hurt each other. We will offend each other. We will betray one another. That’s bad enough. If you add to hurt, offense, and betrayal meanness and cruelty? Wow. Forget it. Relationships are destroyed.

“The entire law is fulfilled in keeping this one command: love your neighbor as yourself.” Protect one another. Give each other the benefit of the doubt. Pray for one another. Do your best to honor God by loving God’s children.

You can hurt, but you never have the right to be cruel and mean.

“The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. Against such things there is no law” (Galatians 5:22-23).

“Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go” (Joshua 1:9).

Be strong. Be courageous. Do not be afraid. Do not be discouraged.

Hmmm.

These are all commands. God commands Joshua to be strong and courageous, not to be afraid and discouraged.

Hmmm.

How does one do that? When one is feeling weak, cowardly, afraid, and discouraged how are you supposed to not feel these things?

It’s kind of like saying to someone who just stepped on a piece of lego with their bare feet and saying, “Don’t feel pain.”

How? How is someone not supposed to feel what they are feeling?

That’s a great question. It’s just the wrong question.

God is not telling Joshua to feel this thing or that thing. This text has nothing to do with feelings.

God said, “BE strong. BE courageous. Do not BE afraid. Do not BE discouraged.”

This is about being. No matter the circumstance, you can choose strength, courage. You can choose not to be afraid and discouraged. These are choices.

These aren’t choices that are made in a vacuum. These are choices made with the understanding that we are never alone because the LORD our God is with us wherever we go. You see, the source of strength and courage is not in us. It is in the LORD our God. God is our strength and courage.

How does this work? It has to do with your eyes. What are you looking at? If you focus on the problem, the discouragement, the struggle, that’s what you see. If you focus on God, that’s who you see.

What are you looking at?

God said, “BE strong. BE courageous. Do not BE afraid. Do not BE discouraged.”