The Power of Belief
"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
Belief is powerful. It shapes the way you see the world, the way you live, and even the way you connect with others.
Growing up, I spent summers in Pilot Mountain with my grandparents. My grandfather made it very clear—there were certain teams we cheered for in that house. One of them was the Atlanta Braves. Every night at 7:05 on TBS, a game would come on, and we would cheer like we were part of the team. That was just what we did.
And then there was Duke basketball. My grandfather didn’t just suggest it; he declared it: “Son, we cheer for Duke in this house.” I was in second or third grade, and I didn’t know anything about one of the greatest rivalries in college basketball, but I knew that in my grandfather’s house, we did not cheer for Dean Smith. Why? Because that’s what I was told. That was the belief I was handed, and I embraced it because I wanted to be accepted, to be part of the camaraderie, to share in the wins and losses.
But belief isn’t just about sports teams. It applies to all of life. What you believe determines how you think, how you act, and, ultimately, who you become. And if you’re not intentional, you can spend your life conforming to the beliefs of those around you, shaping your identity based on what’s comfortable, what’s accepted, and what creates the least resistance.
That’s why Romans 12:2 tells us to be transformed by the renewal of our minds. The world wants to shape your beliefs, to conform you to its standards, to tell you what matters, what success looks like, and how you should live. But God’s will isn’t found in conforming. It’s found in renewing. It’s found in breaking free from the lies, the expectations, and the pressures that don’t align with His truth.
What beliefs are shaping your life? Are you simply adopting what the world says, or are you allowing God to transform the way you think? Because what you believe will always determine who you become. And if you want to become who God created you to be, it starts with setting your belief on Him.
Belief is powerful. It shapes the way you see the world, the way you live, and even the way you connect with others.
Growing up, I spent summers in Pilot Mountain with my grandparents. My grandfather made it very clear—there were certain teams we cheered for in that house. One of them was the Atlanta Braves. Every night at 7:05 on TBS, a game would come on, and we would cheer like we were part of the team. That was just what we did.
And then there was Duke basketball. My grandfather didn’t just suggest it; he declared it: “Son, we cheer for Duke in this house.” I was in second or third grade, and I didn’t know anything about one of the greatest rivalries in college basketball, but I knew that in my grandfather’s house, we did not cheer for Dean Smith. Why? Because that’s what I was told. That was the belief I was handed, and I embraced it because I wanted to be accepted, to be part of the camaraderie, to share in the wins and losses.
But belief isn’t just about sports teams. It applies to all of life. What you believe determines how you think, how you act, and, ultimately, who you become. And if you’re not intentional, you can spend your life conforming to the beliefs of those around you, shaping your identity based on what’s comfortable, what’s accepted, and what creates the least resistance.
That’s why Romans 12:2 tells us to be transformed by the renewal of our minds. The world wants to shape your beliefs, to conform you to its standards, to tell you what matters, what success looks like, and how you should live. But God’s will isn’t found in conforming. It’s found in renewing. It’s found in breaking free from the lies, the expectations, and the pressures that don’t align with His truth.
What beliefs are shaping your life? Are you simply adopting what the world says, or are you allowing God to transform the way you think? Because what you believe will always determine who you become. And if you want to become who God created you to be, it starts with setting your belief on Him.
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Words can’t really express it right for me. Above all else I have to put Him first. Which means basically that I don’t want Him to take His presence from me. At first I thought, even though I read differently, that because Jesus died for my sins that I could live any kind of life and get away with it. This just isn’t the case. The way of living He wants from me is kind of like a path that gets more and more narrow as time goes on. No matter the consequences of this world His presence is what has to come first. This has been a sort of discipline I think with Him to me. When I’m not acting right He doesn’t leave but it’s almost like He turns His face from me. Not in a punishing kind of way but so I can learn. This is love.