² Do not be conformed to this age, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may discern what is the good, pleasing, and perfect will of God. (Romans 12:2 CSB)

I remember an old ad campaign that ran when I was young speaking against the ravages of drug use that said, “A mind is a terrible thing to waste.” I am not sure how effective any of those ad’s were against drug use, but the tag line stuck with me.

Our scripture today is one that I go back to often as it reminds me that probably the single most important aspect of our faith life is the renewing of our minds. The world is continually bombarding us with wrong and negative messages. We have a world of information at our fingertips now and we must be careful how we choose to use that powerful tool to fill our minds. It has become harder and harder to disconnect from the world and connect with God.

But read again the byproduct of doing so; “that you may discern what is the good, pleasing, and perfect will of God.” Without this renewing we cannot hope to discern what is good, pleasing and perfect. Our sinful human nature will always drag us down to our lowest basal self and indulge our minds with wasteful things.

If you, like me, find it ever more difficult to get your mind off of worldly worries and anxieties we need to really consider what we are doing to find the solace and solitude of time with God. To tune out the world and stop being conformed to it and seek the transforming renewal of our mind, it is a terrible thing to waste.