No one sews a patch of unshrunk cloth on an old garment. If he does, the new piece will pull away from the old, making the tear worse. — Mark 2:21
We live life through our paradigms — that is, our way of seeing things. Within our paradigms we make small steps of growth. But then something happens to change our whole way of seeing things, and our life undergoes a transformation.
For example, for many years I thought my relationship with God was all about my obedience. That was my paradigm. But then God shattered that paradigm. He showed me that if He wanted an obedience robot, He could have made one. Instead, He wanted me. He wasn’t as interested in the sum total of all the things I did right as He was in me. Wow. I never knew He cared. Deep down inside, I didn’t have a clue.
Part of sharing life with our supernatural God is this: He will shatter our paradigms and replace them with new ways of looking at things. We cannot really grow until we break out of the straight-jacket of viewpoints that confine and limit the work of God in our lives.
I’m not sure if that sounds scary or exciting to you, but it is a trip (if I can use a sixties word). Moments will come when we think we are looking at the same old stuff and suddenly discover that we have been transported into a whole new world.
Let it come, Lord Jesus. It’s a wonderful life.
Be encouraged!
Dwight
Dwight Clough is the author of four Christian books and is an active member of Lake City Church in Madison. This devotional is also available via email and you may review the archives back to 2002. To contact Dwight or Kim, use their contact form. You may also support their ministry.