So here’s what I want you to do, God helping you: Take your everyday, ordinary life—your sleeping, eating, going-to-work, and walking-around life—and place it before God as an offering. [Be set apart for Him.] Embracing what God does for you is the best thing you can do for Him. Don’t become so well-adjusted to your culture that you fit into it without even thinking. Instead, fix your attention on God. You’ll be changed from the inside out [transformed by the renewal of your mind]. Readily recognize what He wants from you, and quickly respond to it. Unlike the culture around you, always dragging you down to its level of immaturity, God brings the best out of you, develops well-formed maturity in you. ~ Romans 12:1-2, MSG
O Lord, You are my God. You are my Redeemer, my Counselor, my Prince of Peace. You are my Savior and my Lord. I yearn to be set apart for Your glory — to be a light in the darkness, the sweet aroma of Christ for those I encounter along the way.
These are the desires of my heart.
But my life feels like a mess.
Not in its entirety, but on any given day I can be overcome by a bad attitude, words spoken without thought of harm. The things I want to do, I don’t do, and the things I don’t want to do, I do!
It’s so frustrating because I know better.
I don’t want to be a wimp in the face of the enemy. I want to be steadfast and sure, faithful in all things that You have asked of me. I want to be a force to be reckoned with because of YOUR Spirit within me.
I want to be set apart for You — consecrated, sanctified for Your glory.
Transform me, Lord, through the renewal of my mind. Let my focus be on You. Call me to feast at Your table where I may partake of Your daily bread — Your living Word that transforms, renews, and restores.
Create in me a clean heart, O God. Create in me a hunger for Your Word, a thirst for more of Your Living Water. Transform me into Your image from glory to glory, through every mountaintop and ensuing valley.
May the words of my mouth and the meditations of my heart be pleasing to You, O Lord. Set me apart that others may see You in me and be drawn to Your love and the knowledge of Your saving grace.
I ask that You accept my life as an offering to You — the good, the bad, and the ugly. I realize this is a process, not a snap of the fingers. The more I make You Lord and seek after Your righteousness, the more I will be transformed — being set apart for You will become more evident.
I want to be a blessing to You, Lord. Magnify Your Name in me.
In Jesus’s Name I pray,
Amen
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Please don’t carry your burdens alone. I would be honored to pray for you. You may contact me directly at nan@nanjones.com
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Thank you so much for stopping by. I would love for you to share what’s on your heart in the comments below. Scroll a little farther down and you’ll see where you can leave your comments. Together, we can find the nearness of God in our darkest moments.
Sweet blessings to you,
Thank you, Nan. I too desire to be set apart. I understand bad attitudes. I understand wanting to give up and stop seeking and growing. I am praying for you. Please remember me to the Father. I can pray for everyone else. It’s so hard to pray for myself. I hear words like die to yourself, make your life a living sacrifice, but it’s hard, so hard. I broke 2 ribs and in between them, a muscle tear. I hurt and going a little stir crazy in my house, but mediating on Scripture. It helps me. You are a great encouragement to me. I love the way you write. Keep writing. It’s God reaching out and healing wounds. Thank you, sis. Keep on, keepin on.
You are so precious. Thank you for your kind words. I’m so sorry you are injured. I had no idea! That must be so painful. During this time of healing rest in Jesus and hide beneath the shadow of His wing. It’s a very comfortable hiding place 🙂