Recently I heard the testimony of a man, a new convert, who was striving to live a godly life, but was wrestling with his ungodly past. He had spent much of his fifty-five years in drinking, swearing and in immorality. Although God had forgiven him, he wrestled with his past. Old profane words kept shoving their way into his mind, and he saw ugly pictures of things he had done.

As the new Christian talked, I realized how much he needed to renew his mind. He needed to continually praise God’s name in order to blot out the old curse words. He needed to concentrate on fellowship with his new Father so that old cravings would lose their influence on his mind.

While I meditated on this man’s testimony, I realized how much all of us need to renew our minds. We need to concentrate on learning how to please God rather than ourselves. Hundreds of times each day we must resist the old patterns of thinking about our own desires.

We want God’s will, sort of, but we often switch back into our old self-centered ways of thinking.  Instead, let us pray, “Father, I want Your will done in my life. What do You want me to do?” As we learn to concentrate on this simple payer, His will becomes clearer to us. But if we occasionally seek His will, we only occasionally know His will.

The practical way to do this is to begin each day in fellowship with Him by praise, prayer, and study of His Word. The more time we give to that fellowship the more likely we are to desire His will. Throughout the day we can renew our minds by thinking about His Words. We can use hundreds of daily events as an opportunity to fellowship with Him. Every incident, everything we see and hear, and every problem is an open door to commune with God. Even our mistakes can be used to bring us closer to our Father! How? Romans 8:28 says, And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God… We can learn to know it!

Let’s praise the Lord with every breath! Let us use every joy, every sorrow, every sickness, every problem, and every apparent defeat, as an opportunity to have a heart that says, My strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I glory in my infirmities (that is, my human frailties) that the power of Christ may rest upon me (2 Corinthians 12:9). When we have this attitude, every apparent failure becomes a positive victory! Satan loses all influence over our feelings, for we are victorious in everything that happens!

Consider the fact that even Jesus learned obedience from the things that He suffered (see Hebrews 5:8). We too must suffer if we are going to learn to be victorious, but our suffering is wasted if we do not learn how to turn our problems into victories. Thanks be to God: He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ (I Corinthians 15:57).

If you have been suffering because of financial, marital, physical, or emotional problems, let this moment be the beginning of a new life in Christ. He earned the right to carry our burdens! Cast all your cares on Him; for He cares for you (see I Peter 5:7). He wants us to be free of burdens so we can be active in doing God’s will. Our service to Him will bring joy and eternal life to others. Then Christ will rule and reign in their hearts! What a goal He has given us!

Believe that He takes everything and makes it work for your good. The moment you believe that you will feel a burden roll off your heart and you will be eager to know God’s will.   If you have unusually severe problems, their severity increases the potential for God to use them for great good! If your own problems are not that severe, then let God use you to help people who do have big problems. As good is worked in their lives, you too will be blessed! No matter what situation we are in, we just cannot lose if we are determined to believe that God will use everything for our good! (Reprint from March 1992)