Daily Devotion

“Looking back, I can see that this was nothing less than the pivotal event of my entire life. Over time my character, values, attitude, priorities, worldview, philosophy, and relationships began to change—for the good. So much so that a few months after I became a follower of Jesus, our five-year-old daughter, Alison—who had previously only known a father who had been profane, angry, verbally harsh, drunken, and all too often absent—walked up to my wife and said, "Mommy, I want God to do for me what he's done for Daddy."”

Lee Strobel · The Case for Easter (Zondervan, 2003), Conclusion

Scripture

Romans 12:2 Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, acceptable and perfect will.

Reflection

We often pray to God to change our external circumstances, longing for solutions to problems and the elimination of difficulties, but we overlook the fact that God cares more about our inner growth. Without a renewed heart, even if our circumstances change, we'll still fall into the same anxiety and weakness. Romans 12:2 reminds me that true faith isn't about escaping circumstances, but about being shaped by them, learning to see things through God's eyes and living out His will with a renewed heart.