06/05/2026
"Prayer that Transforms Us" - A Devotional by Chaplain Val VandeHaar
Do not conform 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)
It is hard to not conform to the ways of this world. Every day we are pulled into the events of the world - a political stance, an environmental issue, church disagreements, and family difficulties. It is so easy to get caught up in our thoughts and opinions that we forget to search God’s Word for the right way to be transformed.
One way to renew our minds is through prayer. Prayer is a mystery. It describes a relationship. It is a way of speaking to God throughout the day. Through prayer, our minds are renewed by the influence of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit helps us to discern the will of God and then choose how to act upon it. The author and priest, Henri Nouwen writes, “Prayer, therefore, is the act of doing to all that we consider to be our own and of being born to a new existence which is not of the world.”
Prayer takes practice and commitment. We can begin with scripture, such as Psalm 23. We can pray Romans 12:2. We can pray in our cars, in our easy chair, at work, alone or with others. As we continue to pray, we develop a rhythm of talking to God and keeping company with Jesus. As we continue to pray, we will see what God sees, hear what God hears, and discover ourselves listening to the voice of God.
John Stott writes, “Men and women are at their noblest when they are on their knees before God in prayer…to pray is not only to be truly godly, it is also to be truly human." As you are developing your prayer life, allow it to transform you “to a new existence which is not of the world” (Henri Nouwen).