Cultivating a Willing Mind: Transformation and Spiritual Growth

2 Corinthians 8:12

12 For if there be first a willing mind, it is accepted according to that a man hath, and not according to that he hath not.

To have a willing mind means to allow the Holy Spirit to take full possession of your mind, spirit, heart, and character so that you may prove the perfect will of GodOHC 106.2. When you offer your mind to God as a garden to be cultivated, He accepts the talents He has given you and works through your earnest efforts to form a character after the divine similitudeOHC 106.7.

The Transformation of the Mind

The core of a willing mind is the refusal to be conformed to this world and the choice to be transformed by a total renovation of the thought life Romans 12:2OHC 106.1.

• Renovation: You must sweep away the rubbish of questionable principles and practices to make room for the treasures of truthOHC 106.3.

• Sanctification: Truth possesses a unique power to elevate and sanctify the receiver, improving both intellectual and moral powers to meet the Creator's purposeOHC 106.4.

• Possession: Acceptance by God occurs when the Holy Spirit is permitted to occupy every faculty of the human beingOHC 106.2.

Cultivating the Intellectual Powers

A willing mind is not a stagnant one; it is a mind that continually improves the talents God has providedOHC 106.7.

• Expanding the Intellect: The study of God's Word provides a keener discernment than that possessed by the worldling because it constantly expands the mindOHC 106.5.

• Vigor of Faculty: Dealing with weighty and important truths gives vigor to every faculty and refines the characterOHC 106.5.

• Continuous Growth: Man is never meant to cease growing intellectually and spiritually during his lifetimeOHC 106.6.

Avoiding Mental Decline

Acceptance according to what a person has requires that we do not allow our mental powers to be dwarfed by neglectOHC 106.6.

• The Danger of the Commonplace: The mind becomes enfeebled when it deals only with commonplace matters and fails to rise above time and senseOHC 106.6.

• The Unseen Reality: To maintain a willing and healthy mind, one must grasp the mysteries of the unseen rather than bringing the understanding down to the level of familiar, earthly thingsOHC 106.6.

The Cooperation Between God and Man

While God provides the talents and the powers of the mind, the responsibility of character-building rests with the individualOHC 106.7.

• The Mind as a Garden: You must cultivate the Lord's garden earnestly to ensure that the intellectual and moral powers are used in their right relation to each otherOHC 106.7.

• A Perfect Whole: By using these gifts correctly, you create a perfect whole that answers the purpose of the CreatorOHC 106.4+1.

• Divine Similitude: The ultimate goal of a willing mind is to reach a state where the character reflects the image of GodOHC 106.7.