The Rhythm of a Paradigm Shift . . .
We’ve all been in a box, whether we realize it or not – if we realize it, we may not want to admit it because it could show us up; certainly, we don’t want to give up how we see ourselves…or our agenda. Perhaps, we’ve allowed others to define us and put us in a box or, conversely, we have put them in one. We’re comfortable here and resist being challenged in daring to see another point of view – judgments and attitudes are then formed and we dig in.
Are you currently in a relationship, or a business circumstance, career path, or a marriage where your expectations have not been met and your hopes of getting on the same page are fading fast? It’s natural to feel uneasy when underlying anxiety, or loss of control, sets in. After all, we can control what goes on inside our box, but we cannot risk opposition that cannot be beaten or overcome – what in the world will materialize? Is this your nemesis? Why imprison yourself in your box when your perspective can change instantly?
Steven Covey has one of the best and simplest examples of a paradigm shift: Mr. Covey happened to be on a subway train when a man got on with his two sons who began running wildly throughout the train, disturbing everyone. He became so irritated that he asked the boy’s father why he didn’t control his boys. The father replied, “We just got back from the hospital where their mother died. I don’t know how to handle it and I guess they don’t either.” OUCH! What a powerful shift in this man’s way of seeing and understanding the situation.
Make it stand out
A Picture is Worth a Thousand Words!
. . . A Young Woman or an Old Woman?
You may have seen this before . . . What do you see . . .?
Neither perception is incorrect, yet if you can’t acknowledge that another option exists, you might continue to believe that anyone who sees the picture differently is wrong because their perception is clear to them.
What we’ve seen from our box is the result of our conditioning, or training, which in turn determines our behavior and our attitude. If we want different results, we must change our approach – we must be willing to see something differently – a paradigm shift, no less! These shifts can come in the flash of a moment – and, we get it! Don’t censure yourself – He doesn’t! He’s faithful to bring teachable moments to us because of His love and desire for us to see it His way. Trust and leave the results to Him – not yourself! He alone will produce powerful changes above and beyond what you could ever imagine.
Ephesians 3:20 – Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think according to the power that works in us, to Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen.
