When we are less fixed in our certainties, we find more of the truth.
Please discuss. How does this play out in life?
I’ll start us out. It’s often said that only two things in this world are certain: death and taxes. We might revise this to be death, taxes (sometimes, mostly), and divine love. But the essential fact remains that almost everything in life is subject to change.
In spite of this, we often try to hold definite opinions and unwavering beliefs. Often our fear of change and the unknown leads us to cling to the known and the supposedly stable. We feel safer and more powerful when we are certain of things. Sureness lends us the illusion of control.
The more fixed we are in our beliefs and opinions, the more we circumscribe our ability to perceive accurately. It’s as if we’re wearing blinders that limit our field of perception to that in which we believe. Truth becomes, for us, what we’re willing to accept as true.
Today’s message reminds me to apply healthy skepticism to my own firmly-held beliefs and thoughts. If my stance on an issue is unwavering, I may wish to ask myself what I fear. What is the personal risk to me if what I believe to be true was proved to be false? What might I have to give up and how might I need to change to accommodate my potentially altered reality? Would I shrivel up and die, have to admit I was wrong, or simply need to tweak my beliefs and their consequent actions?
When I can realize I’m always safe, even in uncertainty, I liberate myself to perceive more fully, beyond the usual boundaries of my beliefs. Herein lies greater freedom and understanding of myself, others, and life. John 8:32 “Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”
How about you? How do you free yourself from restrictive thinking and beliefs?