We Become What We Behold: How to Be Intentionally Formed by Faith
All of us are being shaped by something. The real question is whether we know what it is. Romans 12:1-2 gives us a clear picture of what it looks like to stop drifting and start choosing who we become.
Why Does It Matter What Shapes Us?
No one drifts into becoming a dedicated follower of Jesus. Every person who walks closely with Him does so because they made intentional choices to get there. Life has a way of pressing us into a mold without us even noticing.
In 2012, Facebook ran an experiment on nearly 700,000 users without telling them. They altered people's feeds, showing one group more negative content and another group more positive content. The result was exactly what you might expect: people who saw more negativity posted more negatively, and those who saw more positivity responded in kind.
The study, later published by the National Academy of Sciences, revealed something important. What occupies our attention can exert a powerful influence long before we ever realize it.
What Does the Bible Say About Being Formed?
This is not a new problem. The Bible addresses it directly. Romans 12:1-2 says:
"I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect." - Romans 12:1-2
What Does It Mean to Present Yourself to God?
The Greek word Paul uses for "present" is paristimae, which means to offer or to place at someone's disposal. Think of it like an employee who trades their time and energy for a paycheck. They place themselves at the disposal of their employer each day.
Paul is asking us to do the same thing in our relationship with Jesus. To present ourselves means to make ourselves available to Him for His direction in our lives.
Notice that Paul begins with "by the mercies of God." He does this on purpose. We cannot live the way he is about to challenge us to live without God's mercy actively at work in our lives. This is not something we accomplish on our own.
What Is a Living Sacrifice?
In the Old Testament and in many ancient religions, a sacrifice meant death. But Paul calls us to be living sacrifices. We remain active in our daily lives while giving all of that life to Jesus.
He calls this our "spiritual worship." Worship is not limited to singing on Sunday mornings. The way we live, the choices we make, and who we make ourselves available to are all acts of worship.
This raises a deeper question worth sitting with: Who has the claim on your life?
What Does It Mean to Not Be Conformed to This World?
Paul warns us not to be pressed into the pattern of this age. There is a cultural pressure constantly working to shape us into its image, and that image is in direct conflict with who Jesus is calling us to become.
Algorithms are a modern version of this. When we let videos autoplay one after another, we can start out looking for a simple news update and end up an hour later filled with anger and division. We allowed something to form us into someone we never intended to become.
The contrast Paul draws is clear: do not be conformed, but be transformed.
How Does Transformation Actually Happen?
The word Paul uses for "transformed" carries passive language, and that is intentional. Transformation requires two things working together.
An act of obedience on our part: making ourselves available to Jesus
An act of God's mercy: the Holy Spirit doing what only He can do in us
We are not fully responsible for our own transformation. But we are responsible for placing ourselves in the right conditions for it to happen.
Paul says this happens through the renewal of our minds. In the Greek, this word means renovation, making new. It refers to our thinking, our moral reasoning, and our judgment. All of these things are malleable. They can be shaped and reshaped.
We Become What We Behold
Here is the foundational principle behind all of this: we become what we behold.
Where we place our attention informs who we become. That means we can actually change the direction of our lives by shifting where we focus. If we want to become more like Jesus, we have to spend time beholding Jesus.
This is not complicated, but it does require intention.
Practical Ways to Renew Your Mind and Focus on Jesus
1. Prayer
You cannot have a relationship with someone you never talk to. Prayer is a personal connection to Jesus. It also opens the door to intercession, which means praying on behalf of others.
The Bible tells us that Jesus, seated at the right hand of the Father, is making intercession for us right now. What would it look like to begin your prayer time by simply asking Jesus what is on His heart and then joining Him in that prayer?
2. Reading the Bible
Scripture is God's love letter to humanity. It is the clearest way we hear from God. Reading the Bible consistently is not just a religious habit. It is how we tune our minds to think the way God thinks.
3. Gathering with the Church
Being part of a church community matters more than we often give it credit for. The Bible calls us to weep with those who weep and rejoice with those who rejoice. That kind of life-sharing only happens when we are actually present with one another on a regular basis.
Showing up consistently is not about obligation. It is about recognizing that we need each other to stay on track.
4. Joining a Small Group
Even in a smaller church, it is easy to stay on the edges and never really connect. A small group of six to ten people who meet regularly gives you a place to be known, to be supported, and to grow alongside others who are on the same journey.
We are designed for that kind of connection. It is not optional for a healthy spiritual life.
You Do Not Have to Change Everything at Once
Very little in life gets fixed overnight. Real change happens through consistent effort applied over time. If the Holy Spirit is highlighting something for you today, the ask is simple: pick one thing and begin.
Start with one practice. Build a rhythm. Then add another. A one percent change made consistently is real transformation. That is the life Paul is calling us toward.
Not a life conformed to what this age tells us to become, but the person we choose to become as a follower of Jesus.
Life Application
This week, do an honest audit of what you are beholding. Look at what you are consuming, who is teaching you how to think, and whether those inputs are forming you into who you actually want to become.
Then pick one practice from the list above, whether that is prayer, Bible reading, consistent church attendance, or joining a small group, and commit to it for the next 30 days. Do not try to overhaul everything. Make one intentional shift and let it take root.
Ask yourself these questions as you reflect:
When I step back from the content I consume most, do I feel more like Jesus or less?
Who or what currently has the greatest claim on my attention, and is that what I would choose if I were being intentional?
What is one specific step I can take this week to place myself more fully at God's disposal?
We become what we behold. May we choose carefully what we fix our eyes on.
