And so, dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to give your bodies to God because of all he has done for you. 

Let them be a living and holy sacrifice - the kind he will find acceptable. This is truly the way to worship him. 

Don't copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. 

Then you will learn to know God's will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.

...

Dear friends, never take revenge. 

Leave that to the righteous anger of God. For the Scriptures say, 

"I will take revenge; 

I will pay them back," says the Lord. 

Instead, 

If your enemies are hungry, 

feed them. 

If they are thirsty, 

give them something to drink. 

In doing this, you will heap burning coals of shame on their heads.

Don't let evil conquer you, 

but conquer evil by doing good.

Romans 12:1-2, 19-21 NLT

Transformation is not easy. 

Change is not comfortable.

Choosing a path that does not align with the culture we live in is always going to be difficult.

"Instead."

Paul gives us an example of a transforming "instead".

And imbedded in his "instead" is a truth about God that he chooses to rely on, put his faith in, that opens up the "instead".

What is your "instead" going to be? 

#letters

#invitation 

#transformation 

#thisisworship

#steptowardsinstead