Wednesday, December 12, 2007

Is it possible that planning for spiritual Black Swans can bring us closer to God?

A Black Swan is an intense, unforeseeable and unpredictable event that redefines a person's paradigm. The name comes from the discovery of a black swan in Australia - prior to that point, all swans were assumed to be white simply because all the swans anyone had seen were white. And, once a black swan is discovered, the gross majority of us will attempt to explain or justify the blacks swan by including it in the definition of "normal".

Black Swans happen at whatever interval black swans occur, and there is no true causality that can explain their instantiation - thus, including them in the bell curve doesn't improve the accuracy of the bell curve, nor does it help in predicting the next black swan.

However, planning for spiritual black swans, being open to their observation, not assuming they won't happen, and not alluding falsely to earnestly perceived phenomenon would do two things: it would make you more open to God speaking to you (because you would not have a preconceived notion of the manner in which He would be speaking) AND you would have an enhanced capacity for recognizing and truly seeing miracles.

One wonders how often we classify miracles as something other than miracles - and how, by doing so, we are separated from God.

My challenge to you is this: pray to Jesus that your blinders would be weakened, at least for the day - which you would be privy to all the miracles He has for you this day. And claim them as intentional experiences, to be savored, considered, and appreciated.

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