In 2008 when President Barack Obama was campaigning and running for President of the United States, his campaign published a booklet entitled, The Blueprint for Change: Barack Obama’s Plan for America. Contained in that booklet was a plan that would change America. The operative word for me was the word “blueprint,” which suggested preparation for change, a plan for change, and a process for the change. (I will leave the discussion about whether or not that has happened to the political pundits.)

Just as America needs a blueprint for change, so does the believer. Change is something that must take place in the life of every believer. Although change is necessary for a believer to become all that God intends, it is not easily achieved.

The Apostle Paul wrote some of the most intuitive words about change in Romans 12:1-2. Paul wrote, “Therefore, I urge you, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect.”

The words written by Paul are a believer’s blueprint for change – including a requirement for preparation, a plan, and a process for change. The preparation required for change is for the believer to gladly and willingly give their body to God through seeking opportunities to serve others. Everyday we should find a way to serve humanity in a way that pleases God. Evidence that change has taken place is when we think of others more than ourselves.

In our world, thinking about others more than self is an anomaly; so the blueprint for change also requires a plan to resist being conformed to the world’s pattern of thinking.
We must guard ourselves from worldly influence

because it has a way of using possessions, power, and pleasure to influence us. We must deny ourselves and deliberately guard our minds from thinking we need those things to be authenticated. In order to resist conforming to the thinking of the world, one must be transformed or changed by new thinking.

The process of the blueprint is transformation; perhaps the most challenging part because it takes time and it is sometimes painful. Take a moment and think about the process that a caterpillar goes through to fulfill its true potential – becoming a butterfly. In short, the caterpillar goes into a cocoon, goes through a process and then emerges as a butterfly. What is vitally important to realize is that it did not happen overnight. It took time and the forces of nature to develop the caterpillar into a butterfly through a process.

The change that takes place in the life of the believer is not an immediate thing that happens either, it requires time. But, it is worth it because we are being changed into something beautiful and blessed day by day. Even greater than that, because the change is being done by the work of the Holy Spirit, when we give ourselves over to Godly influence, we will experience the change we need and will become all that God wants us to be.

Pastor Davidson, D. Min., is the Senior Pastor of New Mount Olive Baptist Church, 400 NW 9th Ave., in Fort Lauderdale. Visit Pastor Davidson at www.mountolive.orgor follow him on Twitter @ mdd1911.