May 5, 20213 min read

Know Your Starting Point: Principles that Drive Different

The principles of flight work even if you don't know how to fly. (Photo: Pexels from Pixabay.)

My son is a helicopter pilot.

I am not.

I’m fascinated by his skill set and think flying is awesome, but set me behind the controls of his Blackhawk, and even if I get it off the ground, I will likely kill myself and crew in the ensuing crash.

But does my inability to fly a helicopter mean that it's not built with all it needs in order to fly?

Hardly.

Crashing on takeoff would be an indictment of me, the operator, not the helicopter, its purpose, or the one who designed it.

Symptoms, Not Causes

Many approaches to “fixing” life and all its components—relationships, business, spirituality, health—treat the subjects like modern medicine treats disease. They focus on managing symptoms and simply develop rationalizations for treating a disease in ways that mask what’s really wrong. The approach makes it look like problems go away.

Are you only treating symptoms or really fixing your life?*

But symptom treatment doesn't address root causes that let natural healing correct what's wrong in the body. "Alternative" (i.e., different) medicine, on the other hand, focuses on whole body health, nutrition, and organic means of healing.

Similarly, if we understand the foundation of how our lives are designed and that everything in creation is a reflection of the One who made it, we can better come to grips with what will deliver a fulfilling life.

How’s That Working for You?

Focusing on the underlying principles of how life operates builds a strong foundation for doing life differently. That means answering the question: How are things created to work best for you, not simply how do they seem to work?

It's important to uncover the roots—the principles—on which we base our thinking so that pursuing Different doesn't just address symptoms of a less-than-satisfying life but actually probes fundamentals you may need to adjust to in order to achieve fulfillment.

The result may be concepts that don’t look like what you see in action around you. If you don't know how to "pilot" your life according to the design, something will always seem not-quite-right.

The Apostle Paul noted that, in this life, "we see only a reflection as in a mirror" (1 Corinthians 13:12, CSB). We grasp only a shadow of the original intent. But to ignore the intent is to keep ourselves from ever experiencing the way things were meant to be.

Don't let the shadows distract you from the beauty of trees. (Photo by Pixabay.)

Knowing what's possible because of the potential created in the natural order of things introduces the hope that we can become more at peace and more satisfied by living in a way that aligns with how we're designed.

Many "ideals" may not look like your experience, the experience of people you know, or even what you’ve been told your experience should be. But be bold, be open, and go after all that it could be.

_______________________

*Photo by Karolina Grabowska from Pexels.

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