“Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.” Romans 12:2 (NIV)

We all have a worldview—a set of beliefs we build our lives on. And that worldview affects absolutely everything: your relationships, your work, how you spend your money, and how you handle suffering. So how can you strengthen your worldview to live the life God has planned for you?

1. Learn the truth. Jesus told a story about two men who built themselves houses—one on a shaky foundation of sand and the other on a solid foundation of rock. When storms came, the house on the shaky foundation collapsed, but the house built on solid rock stood the test of time.

The point of the story is this: You’re going to build your life either on popular opinion or on God’s unchanging truth. If you build your life on eternal truth, you’ll be able to stand up under the most difficult circumstances.

The Bible says, “Learn the truth and never reject it. Get wisdom, self-control, and understanding” (Proverbs 23:23 NCV). You can learn the truth by studying God’s Word, reading good Christian books, and being part of a church family.

2. Discern what is false. The Message paraphrase says, “Don’t believe everything you hear. Carefully weigh and examine what people tell you. Not everyone who talks about God comes from God. There are a lot of lying preachers loose in the world” (1 John 4:1). Even people who claim to be speaking God’s truth sometimes aren’t. But when you know the truth of God’s Word, you’ll be able to discern false teaching when you hear it.

3. Turn from the world to the Word. The Bible tells us to not be part of the world’s value system or, in other words, to not take on the world’s worldview: “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). You have a choice: Will you get your advice on life from God’s eternal Word or from a world that is filled with constantly changing opinions?

4. Concern yourself with God’s agenda. Jesus promised this in The Living Bible paraphrase: “[God] will always give you all you need from day to day if you will make the Kingdom of God your primary concern” (Luke 12:31). You can have only one “primary concern.” God wants to be number one—and for your other interests and goals to be secondary. He promises that if you put him and his agenda first, he’ll take care of everything else in your life.

All over the world, people are looking for meaning, significance, and purpose. If you build your life on shifting sand—on things like power, pleasure, and wealth—you’ll never find what you’re looking for. Instead, build your life on the truth of God’s Word and concern yourself with God’s agenda. You’ll find yourself with a clear worldview and a consistent, purposeful life that stands up to all of life’s storms.