Complete mind change

 

I'm going to embarrass my husband by sharing the long journey we've had with his toenails. When he was in college, he was on a soccer team and always wore his soccer shoes. As a result, he got athlete's foot, an infection of his toenails. After college, he worked in construction, where the footwear he had to wear prevented the infection from fully healing, causing it to worsen. When we got married, it was already bad. For many years, he tried to treat it on his own using various over-the-counter quick-fix ointments, creams, and soaks, but didn't get very far.

Eventually, we went to see a specialist. The doctor explained that the infection was no longer just on the surface but had become an internal problem. There was no quick fix. My husband had to stick to a strict plan and take medicine every single day. He couldn't miss any doses, or he might lose the progress he was making.

In the first month, we didn't notice any changes, but he kept taking his medicine daily. After a few months, we saw slow, steady improvements. Eventually, his nails were fully restored.

The way my husband tried to treat his own toes with quick fixes reminds me of how we often try to treat sin and the enemy's attacks on our thoughts. But sin and our battle with the flesh are deeper internal problems we cannot fight alone. We need the care and steady guidance of our heavenly Father, the great physician.

The Bible often uses the word 'repent' to describe how we can win the battle against sin in our minds.

In Greek, the word "repent" means to have a complete mind change. Just as my husband needed to take his medicine every day, we need to spend time in God's word daily to renew and change our minds.

It may take time to see real change, but God's word is working to cleanse our minds and fight the inner infection affecting them.