Good To GreatSample

Disrupt Status Quo

One of the biggest fears we often face is regarding our future. It is natural to experience fear when we suddenly lose our job or are told by doctors that our child is suffering from a rare bone disease. When our future is in jeopardy and we are unsure of what is next, we struggle to make decisions. We are usually careful in touching the waters when it comes to these life altering decisions. It is natural and in a sense, healthy. If we are not smart and careful with our life, we will lose it.

Being careful is one thing, but living in constant fear is a completely different thing. Most of us, while trying to be careful, allow the fear of the future to get the better of us. Entrapped by fear we feel motionless, life gets squeezed out of us, paralyzing us with uncertainty over every area of our life. We begin to panic even for trivial issues. That, I believe is unhealthy. Fear has a monstrous power. It cripples growth, keeps people in a helpless state. Loss of personal confidence, trust in others, developing phobias are inevitable effects of fear. Fear should not have any place in the presence of our great Shepherd. Let the psalm of David (Ps.23) remind you of the single most important fact: God is in control of your life.

Disrupting Status Quo!

Inspired by the stories of great heroes, we make resolutions to follow them and achieve something, even if they are not as great as theirs. We may dream of reaching the pinnacle of our career or buying a beautiful beach house or it could be as simple as to sing boldly at an office party.

As we take one step towards it, something happens, we hesitate, fear engulfs us, it grips our hearts and we begin to take three steps backwards. Many a times I have wondered why do we even struggle with indecision. It’s likely that our fear and indecision are not because we need to do something great or heroic, but because we have to do something different. Doing something different means we need to change what is regular: Change in our routine, in our status quo, and change in what we are already comfortable with, and we don’t like that.

Somehow change scares us to death. Disturbing a comfortable life is unpleasant. In an attempt to do something new, as long as change is not required we will be fine. If we feel confident that our future is secure, then we proceed. Doing something heroic then is not a big deal. But the moment we realize our next step leads to a blind alley we hesitate, we take a step back . Disrupting the status quo is not our forte.

The author of Hebrews talks about Abraham’s faith, who even though did not know where he was going, still chose to go, based on the call of God. (Heb. 11:8-10) Few verses prior to Abraham, the author talks about Noah’s faith, and that he built an ark on God’s Word, even though he did not know how a flood looks like and what it can do, or whether they will be secure or not. (Heb. 11:7)

Faith involves change. Unless we are willing to change and attempt something we never did, we will never be able to achieve what we have never achieved. If you want to have something you never had, you need to do something you never did. 

Translation: Disrupt the status quo.