Read Romans 12:1–6
Offer your bodies as living sacrifices.
Romans 12:1
The mind controls the body, and the will controls the mind. Many
people think they can control themselves and their lives by sheer “willpower,” but usually they fail. (This was Paul’s experience as recorded
in 7:15–25.) It is only when we yield the will to God that His power
can take over and give us the willpower (and the won’t power!) that we
need to be victorious Christians.
We surrender our will to God through prayer. We pray, with the
Lord Jesus, “Not my will, but yours be done” (Luke 22:42). We must
pray about everything, and let God have His way in everything.
For many years I have tried to begin each day by surrendering
my body to the Lord. Then I spend time with His Word and let Him
transform my mind and prepare my thinking for that new day. Then
I pray and yield the plans of the day to Him and let Him work as He
sees best. I especially pray about those tasks that upset or worry me—
and He always sees me through. To have a right relationship with
God, we must start the day by yielding to Him our bodies, minds,
and wills.
Something to Ponder
In what ways do you surrender your body, mind, and will to God?
How could you be more completely surrendered in each case?