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 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. – Romans 12:1-2

There’s two ways of thinking. There is the thought that I invite God to be a part of my life when I believe and confess (Romans 10:9) and then there is the thought that I give myself to God and now I am a part of His life. I either include God into my life or I step into His. God either becomes a part of my story or I become a part of His.

And since Abraham and the other patriarchs were holy, their descendants will also be holy – just as the entire batch of dough is holy because the portion given as an offering is holy. For if the roots of the tree are holy, the branches will be, too. But some of these branches from Abraham’s tree – some of the people of Israel – have been broken off. And you Gentiles, who were branches from a wild olive tree, have been grafted in. So now you also receive the blessing God has promised Abraham and his children, sharing in the rich nourishment from the root of God’s special olive tree. – Romans 11:16-17

Again, two ways of thinking. I am a root with many branches – my family, my job, my hobbies, my friends and now I have a God branch and a church branch. OR God is the root and I am now one of His branches. I am not who I used to be with a little God mixed in, I am in a new creation – transformed into a new person. I am now a branch of His. I don’t fit God into my schedule by setting time aside for Him, I give Him my schedule and let Him have all of my time.

Not only am I now a branch of His tree, I am also a member of the body of Christ. Other Christians don’t suddenly become a part of my life, existing for my benefit, but I become one of many who mutually work together for the cause of Christ. Side by side, hand in hand, we do what God has called us to do. We are one body, not competing for position but sincerely serving one another as we serve Christ.

Don’t think you are better than you really are. Be honest in your evaluation of yourselves, measuring yourselves by the faith God has given us. Just as our bodies have many parts and each part has a special function, so it is with Christ’s body. We are many parts of one body, and we all belong to each other.

In his grace, God has given us different gifts for doing certain things well. So if God has given you the ability to prophesy, speak out with as much faith as God has given you. If your gift is serving others, serve them well. If you are a teacher, teach well. If your gift is to encourage others, be encouraging. If it is giving, give generously. If God has given you leadership ability, take the responsibility seriously. And if you have a gift for showing kindness to others, do it gladly. – Romans 12:3-8

God does not become a part of my life to make my life better, He calls me to be a part of His life for His glory and for the benefit of His plan. It’s not about me and my life story, it’s about the Giver of Life and how I fit into His story.