EXPERIENCING NEW LIFE

In the book, Principle-Centered Leadership, Stephen Covey, in responding to the question, "How do we become more effective?" gives a response that I think I'll always remember:

"If you want to make slow, incremental improvement, change your attitude or behaviour. But if you want to improve in major ways - I mean dramatic, revolutionary, transforming ways - if you want to make quantum improvements, either as an individual or as an organization, change your frame of reference. Change how you see the world, how you think about people ... change your paradigm, your scheme for understanding and explaining certain aspects of reality."

That's what I discovered became true when I embraced faith in Jesus Christ. Initially I began noticing a change in my attitude - I no longer was at the center of the universe - I became less self-centered & more focused upon what I could do to help others. As my attitudes changed, so did my behaviour. But the process was very slow. But something else was happening - I was undergoing a paradigm shift - I saw aspects of reality through a different set of lenses. Old irrational thoughts were being replaced with a process of thinking that seemed to be much more objective & accurate. Romans 12:2 was becoming a reality in my life:

"Do not conform any longer 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."

In essence, Paul was saying that the great breakthroughs in life are breaks with old ways of thinking. As our thought patterns change, we will begin to see an entirely new world. Even our responsibilities will be viewed differently.

Often these paradigm shifts occur during specific stages of one's life. For example, when we first entered school we became exposed to how other children acted & played & thought. Our view of life widened beyond our experience of home. Then when we were married, our paradigm of life shifted again for no longer were we the only person in the center of the circle - we had chosen to bring another person into that inner circle. So the challenge in life is to be resilient enough to adjust our frame of reference, our understanding of certain aspects of reality to the on-going stages of life that we are experiencing!

Of course, crisis is a great motivator to bringing about paradigm shifts for it is during those times that we are forced to determine our priorities in life.

It is my belief that God longs for His creation to embrace a paradigm shift - away from the spirit of independence that tells God we have no need of Him - to where in a state of interdependence we welcome God's presence into our lives so that we will be able to see the world through the lens that God looks through. For more information on how this can happen in your life, go to the "Power To Change" website or send an e-mail to this site.