Who moved my cheese?
A few years ago, I had the pleasure of reading, "Who moved my cheese?" by Dr. Spencer Johnson. For those of you who haven't read the book, the plot is as follows:
Two little people (Hem and Haw) and two mice (Sniff and Scurry) live in a maze. Everyday at a certain time, the mice and little people go to a certain place in the maze (Cheese Station C) to get cheese. Over time, the little people develop a routine around getting the cheese, including taking their friends to see the cheese and even making future plans that involve the cheese. The mice, on the other hand , recognize that the situation is not permanent and prepare themselves.
One day the mice and the little people arrive at Cheese Station C to discover that all of the cheese is gone. The mice, having forecasted this event, set into the rest of the maze to find more cheese. The little people, on the other hand, are devastated and stay in Cheese Station C, hoping that more cheese will miraculously appear. What follows is a wonderful analogy of how people plan and react to change in their lives. Some, like the mice, prepare for it, embrace it, and thus can enjoy it. Others, like Hem and Haw, can be crippled by it.
We all acknowledge that change is inevitable in our lives, regardless of whether it is desired or not. How does the idea of change, however, present itself in our walk with God and His Son? Do we embrace it or do we accept it with conditions? I think that we, as Christians, either consciously or subconsciously, use God's consistency and unconditional love for us as a reason not to embrace the change that he is catalysing in us. Let me put it another way. God's plan for us requires that we experience an evolution. Sometimes, we resist that change or evolution because we have grown too comfortable with where we are spiritually. In order for us to carry the cross or even receive certain blessings, we have to change.
The crappy part of it all (Caz, can I say crappy?) is that most of the catalysts that God uses to promote change in us are uncomfortable. He uses things that stretch us; things that force us to recognize that we cannot conquer the deeds of the adversary without being in the spirit. So we must embrace change.
The spectacular part is that God is changing us. Each and every day, He is shaping us more and more into the image of his Son, so that when people look at us, they see Him. Just knowing that plan gives me the strength to, not only endure change, but also to understand it, embrace it, and yearn for it.
Thank you God for continuously moving my cheese.
gt
Two little people (Hem and Haw) and two mice (Sniff and Scurry) live in a maze. Everyday at a certain time, the mice and little people go to a certain place in the maze (Cheese Station C) to get cheese. Over time, the little people develop a routine around getting the cheese, including taking their friends to see the cheese and even making future plans that involve the cheese. The mice, on the other hand , recognize that the situation is not permanent and prepare themselves.
One day the mice and the little people arrive at Cheese Station C to discover that all of the cheese is gone. The mice, having forecasted this event, set into the rest of the maze to find more cheese. The little people, on the other hand, are devastated and stay in Cheese Station C, hoping that more cheese will miraculously appear. What follows is a wonderful analogy of how people plan and react to change in their lives. Some, like the mice, prepare for it, embrace it, and thus can enjoy it. Others, like Hem and Haw, can be crippled by it.
We all acknowledge that change is inevitable in our lives, regardless of whether it is desired or not. How does the idea of change, however, present itself in our walk with God and His Son? Do we embrace it or do we accept it with conditions? I think that we, as Christians, either consciously or subconsciously, use God's consistency and unconditional love for us as a reason not to embrace the change that he is catalysing in us. Let me put it another way. God's plan for us requires that we experience an evolution. Sometimes, we resist that change or evolution because we have grown too comfortable with where we are spiritually. In order for us to carry the cross or even receive certain blessings, we have to change.
The crappy part of it all (Caz, can I say crappy?) is that most of the catalysts that God uses to promote change in us are uncomfortable. He uses things that stretch us; things that force us to recognize that we cannot conquer the deeds of the adversary without being in the spirit. So we must embrace change.
The spectacular part is that God is changing us. Each and every day, He is shaping us more and more into the image of his Son, so that when people look at us, they see Him. Just knowing that plan gives me the strength to, not only endure change, but also to understand it, embrace it, and yearn for it.
Thank you God for continuously moving my cheese.
gt
2 comments:
I think "crappy" is just a fish - right?
Great insight, especially for this journey of starting a new church. It seems like things change every minute.
Love it! Seems to me the Lord is very good at moving cheese! Sometimes the Lord has to rip somthing out of our hand so that our hand might be open for the next blessing!
Be blessed Greg, great post!
Brian
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