“Do not talk down to yourself for struggling; the struggle is part of the transformation. Trust that the version of yourself that emerges on the other side will be stronger for it. Keep moving.”1 – Maggie Smith

When the life she knew had ended with her nearly 19 years of marriage, author Maggie Smith struggled. She had no desire to get out of bed or to eat, but she felt led to write. She tried poetry but found that she needed something different, something new. A question nagged at her heart: What now? In response, she wrote a goal for herself each day—just a few sentences, but each one ending with an answer: Keep moving.

Jesus equips us, each day, with what we need to keep moving. Whether we seek encouragement, guidance, inspiration, strength, relief, affirmation, or comfort, Jesus walks with us. He knows us; He knows the deep recesses of our hearts. He understands what makes us anxious and scared, and what gives us hope. He sees our frailties, failures, and misconceptions, but He sees more. He sees the other side of the battle—He sees the victory.

To reach the victory, we must be willing to change: “Do not conform 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).

In the New Testament, this verse has many different translations. All infer the need to reject worldliness and embrace change, transformation, and renewal to discern the will of God.

“Do not act like the sinful people of the world. Let God change your life. First of all, let Him give you a new mind. Then you will know what God wants you to do. And the things you do will be good and pleasing and perfect.” (NLV)

“Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you…” (NLT)

“…let God transform you inwardly by a complete change of your mind” (GNT). When we have the mind of Christ, we will also have His eyes. How we see this world and the next often determines our movement forward. We want to change; we want to be transformed, but how do we get there? In Revelation 21:5, God says, “I am making everything new!” and we all want to be a part of that. But: What now?

We can only look to Jesus. He said, “…for this I came into the world, to testify to the truth. Everyone who belongs to the truth listens to my voice” (John 18:37, NRSV). We need to ask Him, “What now?” And then we need to listen and obey.

Life can be a rollercoaster of emotion and conflict, but Christ inspires a peace beyond all understanding. He has given us His Spirit to make us aware of any falsehoods that have taken root in our mindsets. If we ask, Jesus will give us eyes to see—past our struggles and through any deceit. Living in God’s truth is a lifelong commitment to change and continuous renewing; it can be unsettling and difficult. But looking to Jesus, we can move forward boldly as we listen to His voice and trust in His Word.

by RJ Flower-Opdycke, Co-editor

1 Maggie Smith, Keep Moving: Notes on Loss, Creativity, and Change, New York, NY: One Signal Publishers, 2020, p. 115.

How Do We Get There?

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. 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 12:2 (THE MESSAGE)

In His lifetime, Jesus saw His Father in all creation. He knew Scripture was the God-breathed truth, the Word of His Father. Study the Word.

In His lifetime, Jesus saw the needs of those around Him. He responded equally to those He loved and to strangers with compassion, honesty, and guidance—always teaching the heart of His Father’s love. Be compassionate.

In His lifetime, Jesus lived with a clarity of purpose that transcended this world and gave transparency to the next. Live out your purpose.