My current facebook status reads: Kira Shea Smithson is learning that transformation is not always instantaneous as she had previously thought…in fact, it may be that transformation is rarely instantaneous—and more frequently, a process…

In the last year I’ve been surprised by how many things seem to be a process. Things that have always seemed a bit too poetic as ideas such as “being transformed by the renewing of your mind” (Rom 12:2) to be practical. When I think of transformations, I think of superheroes and quick changes. She-ra holding her sword overhead as glitter swirls around her, or Jerrica calling on Synergy and being magically transformed into Jem (and I can hear the theme music that plays during these sequences in my head…Hey I grew up in the 80s, insert your favorite transforming superhero here).

But as I fell asleep last night I heard a voice say, “Renewal is a process. Renewal is a process. ” At that point I stopped falling asleep and opened my eyes. “What?! Renewal is a process?!” I turned on my light, grabbed my planner and scribbled down a note to remind myself to write it out the next day. So now it’s the next day and the idea of writing about it doesn’t seem nearly as profound. To consider that renewal of a whole thing (like your way of thinking) could be accomplished in bits and pieces instead of all in one miraculous moment, never occurred to me. But I suppose it makes pretty good sense, thinking about it now. How else would I have acquired all the knowledge required for this miraculous overhaul? The only way that would be possible would be if God hit me over the head with some sort of magic wand dispensed all the knowledge to me at once. But in my life, that doesn’t tend to happen very frequently, or really ever. And even if it did, would I have the understanding to go with it? Maybe not.

This reminds me of the other thematic idea of my life over the past 6 months, “Learn to appreciate ‘now’. Learn to appreciate the current point you are at in the process.” Urgh. Why is it always the ‘easy’ things that trip me up? It seems like I always try and make things more difficult for myself instead of attempting to simplify. Why is that I wonder?