Transformation or Stagnation?

There's an old story of the farmer that set out to plow his fields one Spring. Things went well for a spell, but the monotony of trudging behind the plow as his mule plodded along soon got the best of him; he slowly slipped into a daydream state and aimlessly followed where the mule led. It wasn't too long before his son appeared with their lunch to find his dad standing in a furrow, up to his knees in the red clay of the field. When the young man asked his dad what had happened, the father sheepishly replied, "Well son, when you stay too long doing the same thing, the same way…you no longer have a well-turned furrow; you've made yourself a deep, devilish rut."

Unfortunately, this story plays out all too often in our lives as we go through the motions of living for Christ. Oh, we are good to make time for church on Sunday: choir practice and prayer meeting on Wednesday; a quick daily devotion and a few minutes in prayer. We display all the "trappings" of a faithful follower, but we are really too often just stuck in a rut…wanting MORE, but not sure how to proceed to live the abundant life that we were promised when we choose to follow Christ.

Paul told us in Romans 12: 2, "Do not be conformed to this world (don't get in a rut), but be transformed by the renewal of your mind (get in and stay in God's Word) that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect." (My emphasis)

You see, often, it is not what we do that creates our worldly rut, it is the spirit with which we do it that makes us become ritualistic and stagnant. When we come to God with a fresh yearning to hear Him speak; when we open His Word with an expectant heart to know of His will for our lives; when we seek the Godly counsel of those that would guide, direct and encourage us…it is then that God begins and continues our amazing transformation to become all that He has ordained us to be.

It is not wrong to do the same things over and over if we first focus on the real reasons that compels us to do those things…our love for the Father and our desire to share the Good News with others. These things then become stepping stones to a greater and fuller relationship with our Father and not a rut that seems endless and tiring.

So enter this new day ready to be transformed into whatever God has set before you. Don't let the cares, trials or tribulations of this age make you keep plodding along behind the plow of woe that leads to a deep rut of cynicism and despair…rather, do all that you do with excellence as you represent the King of Kings in all of His glory and might.

Remember, you are a child of the Most High, so ACT LIKE IT! By showing and glowing in the transformation that is taking place in you, others will see your good works and they will glorify your Father in Heaven….Stagnation or transformation…it's totally your choice!

Living in the transformed mind of a new creation,

WPQ

Poem for the day:

Living life abundantly is really what we seek

And God has called us to serve Him

By loving  the lowly and the meek.

We are not to live our lives in sameness

 or in hopeless stagnation…

But to let the Holy Spirit have His way

in our ongoing  transformation.