The Power of a Paradigm

Yesterday as I was relaxing at home, being a Monday which happens to be my off day, I read something very interesting on paradigm that I want to share with you. According to Steve Covey author of the 7 habits of highly effective people and the 8th Habit, The word Pardigm stems from the Greek word paradeigma, which was originally a scientific term but commonly used today to mean a perception, assumption, theory, frame of reference or lens through which we see things. It's like a map of a territory or city. If inaccurate, it will make no difference how hard you try to find your destination or how positively you think- you will stay lost. If accurate, then diligence and attitude matter.

I couldn't agree more with Covey. One of the greatest hinderances to us making progress in our lives, realizing our goals and reaching our destinations has very little to do with the many things we think we need or should do than changing our mindset, our paradigm. Someone has defined insanity as doing the same thing and expecting a different result. If we do not have a paradigm shift, a change in our thinking (by the way repentance means to change our thinking) we are going to end up the same way we did in 2010. For us to see a change in our lives, we cannot afford but to have a paradigm shift. If you want to make minor, incremental changes and improvements, then work on practices, behaviour or attitude. But if you want to make significant, quantum improvement in your life, then work on paradigms.

Working on paradigms is work, but it is worth it all.  In the Bible, before the Church broke out into the Gentile territory and grew into the force it is today, there had to be a change in Paradigm. In Acts 10, the Apostle Peter while taking an afternoon nap, had a vision where three times, God lowered a buffet of all kinds of animals to him and told him to rise up, kill and eat. Though Peter was starving, maybe not to death but most probably to napping, he still could not do so because of his paradigm. As a Jew he had grown up not allowed to eat certain kinds of animals, exactly the same animals which were in the buffet. This was symbolic as God was requiring Peter to have a paradigm shift in order for him to move to the next level. And this message got to Peter, "what God has made clean nobody should call unclean". With that the door to the Gentile world was opened and that is why you and I today can boast of our Christian heritage.

What paradigm shifts do you need to make in your life this year in order for you to realize your goals and go to the next level in your life?

"The Significant problems we face cannot be solved at the same level of thinking we were at when we created them". - Einstein

The Power of Prayer

During the Christmass break, apart from our odyssey as a family to the Nguruman Escarpments, I was also able to travel to shaggs. I went there for two reasons, one to spend time with my Dad, whom I love dearly, and two to attend a memorial service for my late maternal Granfather who passed away in November 2009 aged 93. It was a very special occassion for me as it had been posted from 23rd December to 27th just because of me as I am the oldest grandchild on my mum's side. Normally such memorials where I come frrom would be a time of rituals which go with a lot of drinking and discos at night. But this one was very special in that none of that happened, largely I believe because of one of my  Aunties who is very influential in the family is saved. As such we only had a church service followed by a lot of eating. But unkown to us, some of my cousins had planned for a disco that night. Being the Pastor in the family, my Aunty requested that I preach and pray for the entire family (my Grandmother, Aunties, one remaining uncle, and all my cousins) at the end of it all. I prayed for them then left. Two days later on my way back to Nairobi, my sister and I passed through my Grandma's place again to see her and bid her goodbye. While there my Grandma who is 82 and now saved (she used to make and sell the best chang'aa in the whole village) shared with me this powerful testimony. That the night I prayed, it rainned heavily that those who had planned for the disco could not go ahead with their plans. The following night, the music system refused to work. The third night that we were there, the smusic system had been repaired and all were set to finally have the disco. But you know what? as we were leaving at dusk, the clouds began to gather and that night it rained as well thus ruining those young men's plans. That is the power of prayer. Prayer empowers God to act on our behalf.

As a Church we are currently in a season of 21 days of prayer and fasting. During this season the Lord has been teaching me a lot on prayer. I have had to go back to the basics which is good for beginning the year. I have come to realize how simple yet profound prayer is. We have complicated this part of our spiritual life so much no wonder we don't pray. Prayer is simply talking to God and allowing Him to talk to us. It is a dialogue, not a monologue. Infact more than you wanting to talk to God, God wants to talk to us. Infact  when we set aside everything else to focus on God as we are doing in this season, we experience breakthrough. And you know what is the greatest breakthrough that we experience? God breaking through to us so that He can speak to us and we can hear what the Spirit of God is saying. And when we hear what the spirit of God is saying to us, our lives will never be the same.

"Prayer is not overcoming God's reluctance; it is laying hold of His highest willingness".
                                                                                - Richard Trench, Anglican Archbishop of Dublin.