Renewing my mind...

So lately I've been REALLY distracted. First there was school, then boards, then some craziness that I can't even talk about just yet!! The first part of January Jesus told me it was time to "refocus" my heart & mind on Him. Well, here I am the first part of February & I'm still struggling with my heart & mind & thoughts...

This morning when I first woke up, I had some runaway thoughts & I came out to my laptop & journal & the first thing I wrote was: In this moment... I purpose to refocus my thoughts, my heart & my mind on You, Jesus. Today I choose to set my heart towards You.

I was amazed as He brought scriptures to me that spoke directly to my prayer:
Work hard to show the results of your salvation, obeying God with deep reverence and fear. For God is working in you, giving you the desire and the power to do what pleases Him. Do everything without complaining and arguing, so that no one can criticize you. Live clean, innocent lives as children of God, shining like bright lights in a world full of crooked and perverse people. Hold firmly to the word of life... (Philippians 2:12-16)

This is what I pulled out of it:
- Obey God with deep reverence and fear - you can do this because He's already working in you, giving you the desire & the power to do what pleases Him.
- Don't complain & argue.
- Live a clean, innocent life as a child of God - in this way you will shine like a bright light in a dark world.
- Hold firmly to the Word of Life.

Then today's devotional in Jesus Calling was on how "A renewed mind is Presence-focused." and the scripture passage was from Romans 12:2. I always like how The Message Bible has it:
So here’s what I want you to do, God helping you: Take your everyday, ordinary life – your sleeping, eating, going-to-work, and walking-around life – and place it before God as and offering. Embracing what God does for you is the best thing you can do for Him. Don’t become so well-adjusted to your culture that you fit into it without even thinking. Instead, fix your attention to God. You’ll be changed from the inside out. Readily recognize what He wants from you, and quickly respond to it. Unlike the culture around you, always dragging you down to its level of immaturity, God brings the best out of you, develops well-formed maturity in you.

Today... I fix my attention on God... Lord, please change me from the inside out. Renew & transform my mind. Bring out the best in me & continue to give me the desire & the power to do what pleases YOU.