Smoke & Ashes

“Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, 
that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, 
what is good and acceptable and perfect.”
~ Romans 12:2

We’ve had our share of smoke over the last few weeks here in Ontario. I bet many of you have too. Large portions of the country have been breathing the effects of summer wildfires. Some summers are worse than others for fire and smoke, and this one is in the worse category. 

Most mornings I have a routine of heading out the back door to spruce up my patio for the day. I blow leaves off the deck and sometimes wipe down a spider web or two. I recently noticed that I also have to shake the accumulated white ash off my navy blue chair cushions.  They have been just sitting there, minding their own business, and yet they get contaminated by these small particles that aren’t really easy to detect until you see the cumulative blanket effect on my nice cushions.

This reminds me of the condition of our minds — just sitting there, minding our own business, our minds tend to get contaminated by the influences descending upon them. It’s not always easy to detected the individual influence over our minds until we see the cumulative effect.

The Apostle Paul knew this, and prompted by the Holy Spirit, gave us a simple daily remedy to shake off the contamination. That’s what our opening verse is talking about — being transformed by the renewal of our mind. This isn’t a mysterious or complicated process. It’s quite simple, like shaking the ash off my navy chair cushions. It just needs to be done regularly or it will get increasingly worse.

What type of ash accumulates in our minds? All sorts of things that originate from inside our own head or come in through the front door — dissatisfaction with our current tasks in life, frustration with the political climate of our country, an unhealthy or destructive tendency to compare ourselves against others, the list is really endless.

What does renewal look like? It’s really not too different than shaking out patio cushions. Once we realize and admit there is a layer of unhelpful junk that has settled over our mind, and once we realize something should be done about that layer, we’re in a position to begin the process of renewal.  The best way to transform our minds is the consumption of the Word of God, which does the shaking work for us. 

Hebrews 4:12 tells us, "For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and quick to discern the thoughts and intents of the heart."

Obviously there is more to the shaking out process than just reading words on a page. We also have to receive what is being revealed, repent of what needs to go, and act upon what is good and useful and healthy.

What is the result? The Romans passage tells us that one of the most useful results is discernment — The ability to know what God’s will is for today and for the future. Another result, which I personally crave is peace! 

Isaiah 26:3 says, “You will keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you.” 

Who doesn’t want more peace in their life? Who doesn’t aspire to move through life with a sense of contentment in whatever circumstances you’re facing? It all begins with a little shaking out, just like I do daily to those ash-covered chair cushions. I’m going to remember what I’ve said here whenever I shake off those chair pads. My health issues invite a certain brand of ash to accumulate, and your life issues invite a different brand of ash.  But we all need to be busy about the shaking process. 

As far as an update on me — yesterday was the half-way mark of my second brand of chemo. I’m doing well and feeling well and have to visit just six more stations on the chemo train. I hope you are all enjoying summer and I hope we can all soon enjoy the summer skies sans smoke and ash.  

My Love,

Sue

sue@ccontario.com