Paradigm Spirituality

randy_kathyBe not conformed to this world but be transformed by the renewing of your minds; then you will know the good, acceptable and perfect will of God. - Romans 12:2

The term ‘paradigm shift’ is popular in this century. It signifies the changing from one way of thinking and doing to another. We breeze along in life thinking a certain way and Boom!, there is a totally different way of seeing the same issue.

This shifting happened to me during my sophomore year in college. I was striving intently to succeed in academics, financially, and in relationships. But I was hitting a wall. The harder I tried the more I fell short. Yet my persistence only caused me to hit the wall harder. I was not a quitter. I would win.

Part of my ‘winning’ was to understand God the way I wanted him understood. To me he was a beneficent clock-winder, who started the universe and waited for each of us to make a mistake. I knew this to be true because of the pangs of guilt and frustration I would feel whenever I fell short. Publicly it didn’t happen often because I controlled my public image, but internally I was dying from not reaching my self-made standards.

Grace was a concept that changed my paradigm. Grace said God loved me for who I was; I thought that it was up to me to make things right. This paradigm meant God was presently alive and active in human history and my life. I resisted this thinking. But I could not make things right, any more than a dirty man can make himself clean by washing in the mud. Eventually I succumbed…giving credence that this might be true and asking God to validate if it was true…if He was truly there. He did, He was and Is.

I’m not sure what paradigms you hold true that may not be true. If one of them concerns a distant God, you may want to think again.

Paradigm Audio & Video

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Reflections to Consider

  • Corporate Spirituality

    Encouragement, Accountability, and Worship Solitude, community and ministry are three areas requiring balance and integration in the Christian walk. The Read More
  • Companion of the Souls

    When the two disciples recognised Jesus as he broke the bread for them in their house in Emmaus, he "vanished Read More
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Paradigm Publications

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Publications

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Paradigm Music

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Music

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Paradigm Reflection

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Audio & Video

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Favorites

  • Transforming this World: The Hope of Glory by NT Wright +

    Wright confronts the perspective that this world doesn’t matter, and that we live only to be in heaven. He shows Read More
  • What is Good in a World that Defies Hope: a talk by NT Wright +

    This is the second part of three talks by NT Wright at Harvard University in November, 2008 on the topic Read More
  • The Stream, the Lake and the River: NT Wright +

      Acts 2.1-21; John 7.37-39; a sermon at the Eucharist on the Feast of Pentecost, 11 May 2008, by the Read More
  • Jesus in the Perfect Storm by NT Wright +

    Zechariah 9.9-17; Luke 19.28-48; A sermon for Palm Sunday, April 17, 2011, In the University Chapel of St Salvator, St Read More
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Hidden Blessings

  • Warfare Spirituality +

    The Trinity function as farmers of our souls, actively caring for God’s creation: an ongoing, radical reclamation of His creation. Read More
  • You are free +

    The Jesus who calmed a sea of deadly, stormy waves, whose arrival sent thousands of demons cringing and cowering to Read More
  • Deliver us from Evil +

    Spiritual warfare is something that few Christians, regardless of their denomination, are accustomed to thinking about, let alone engaging in. Read More
  • Baby, you're a rich man! +

    The lover of money will not be satisfied with money; nor the lover of wealth, with gain. This also is Read More
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