Do not conform any longer 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 NIV)
I've got to admit that I enjoy mystery-type books and television shows probably a bit too much for my own good. Maybe it comes from my dad being a homicide detective for all those years, but I enjoy solving puzzles - putting the pieces together. From an early age I learned to read on Hardy Boys Mysteries and watched shows like Murder, She Wrote and Colombo with my dad. Now I find myself drawn to the likes of NCIS (both series), Bones, and, of course, the ever-popular Castle. There's something about figuring things out "who done it" that brings about a sense of satisfaction and accomplishment.
In more recent books, movies, and shows, I especially enjoy the forensics of it all. It seems like they have a test for about everything and anything to narrow down the suspect list. They can take a fingerprint, hair fiber, skin sample, dirt under fingernails, and even look at the bugs to determine details about a person. They run tests and those tests eliminate people from the list and narrow in on the one person they are trying to identify.
Walking with God is much the same way. The more we renew our minds with God's word, the more we are able to run "tests" to determine whether a thought comes from God or not. The more we hold on to the good (God-thoughts) and throw away the bad (not-from-God-thoughts), the more we are "transformed" by the renewing of our minds. Our tests become more accurate and we know more and more when a thought is from God. Then we "approve" the thought by acting on it the way we should. Our minds start matching the mind of God, and our lives begin to "bear fruit" as well.
It's a process. Walking with God is not a switch that we flip on or off. It's a process...a journey...a walk.
Take the time to begin each day stepping in the right direction. Take the time to listen to Him (through His Word), adjust your perspective to match His, and to talk to Him in prayer. Then, as you go throughout your day, keep on talking with Him. When He answers, test those thoughts against His Word to recognize whether it came from Him or not. When the answers are from Him, approve them by following them. Your entire day, then, becomes a journey...a walk with Him...and it is good.
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