Go to Settings

Do not conform any longer 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 NIV] 

After pondering the idea of owning an iPad, I finally caved and asked for one for my birthday last month. 🎈

I say "caved" because I’m not one to jump on the band wagon to purchase the latest shiny thing. But after listening to authors I know and respect rave about how having an iPad increased the efficiency of their writing projects, my interest was heightened.

Thus, Mary owns an iPad, uniquely etched with my initials MAF and tagline, I write Happily Ever Afters (thanks, husband 💕💕)

Though I’m light years from others who've staunchly claimed that they never leave home without their iPad, I am happy to report that my iPad and I are getting along swell and I'm slowly learning its functionalities. The attempt-and-fail method is an exceptional teacher.

After tuning into multiple You Tube tutorials, I’ve learned to anticipate that point in the video when the instructor says, 

“Now, if you go to your settings …”

Ah! The gear-ish looking gray icon. Basically, the thing that tells the thing how to behave.

Once I find the correct setting to enable or disable a particular behavior, then my iPad will function as desired.

After fiddling around with my iPad settings long enough, I couldn’t help but consider the settings the Lord has graciously and wisely engineered into us.

Do not conform any longer 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 NIV] 

Our mind is what takes in and processes the stuff of the world, filters it through our existing base of knowledge and belief system, which can then direct our course of action.

☞ Ungrateful attitudes? Go to settings ...

Give thanks in all circumstances,

for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus

[I Thessalonians 5:18]

☞ Need a stronghold broken? Go to settings ...

The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world.

On the contrary, they have divine power

to demolish strongholds. [2 Corinthians 10:4]

☞ Time to prioritize spiritual, mental, physical rest? Go to settings …

My Presence will go with you, and I will give you rest. [Exodus 33:14]

To effect lasting change, we need to go to settings. The Lord has hardwired us to need and desire fellowship with him, and in so doing, He shows us in his word how to re-set our thinking to more closely conform to his.  

Questions to Ponder

*Which of your "settings" need to be reconfigured in order to behave more like the Lord?

*How quickly do you reach for his word—in reality or in thought—rather than your devices? (Yeah. That takes a hot poker to my conscience too)

What truth did the morning bring?

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What the Morning Brings: 52 Story-Style Devotions. The devotional inspired by Psalm 143:8 that asks, "What truth did the morning bring?"

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Until next time,