Quantum physics states that a subatomic particle at a certain time has no state, but contains all states with certain probabilities. Only when observed a particle falls into a certain state. Which state depends upon the expectation of the observer as well as the measurement method. Will it be a wave or a particle?
New studies show that human creativity works the same way. Within subcontiousness everything is possible and thoughts are in indefinite stages. Only when oserved by consiousness they fall into a certain state, and they fall prey to the observation method and expectations of the person observing.
What do I mean by that?
Science often sees man as a rules engine driven by the sum of memories from the past. This they apply to body and soul. Body memories would include both trained movements like walking or strategies to relief pain, such as limping. Other things include basic needs like food, drink, and sleep to keep the rules engine going in the first place. Soulwise it’s basic instincts, emotions, as well as memories in the more narrow sense like “this did not work last time, so it won’t this time either”.
If we define man like this, where is the difference to animals? It for sure is not reason, if that is only chemistry and rules application.
But there is a third part to man: spirit. Spirit is different as it does not know natural borders – just like subatomic particles and thoughts. It is the part that makes us an image of God.
Spirit is dead in most man. When Adam fell, that part died. And suddenly, the way to look at the world changed. And that happens again when we acknowledge the need of Jesus’ redemtpive work and allow Him to be Lord of our life. The spirit is revived and saved – made whole again.
But what changes in our world view? Maybe we can look at it as a change or redesign of our rules engine. Creative thoughts as well as impressions from within and without, when become conscious, now pass through a different rules engine. There is an additional event fired when a new thought comes up: go through the spirit as well. This spirit has a basic set of rules, of which God says that He “will write it on our hearts”. These rules look at thoughts from an eternal perspective, processes them through with the Holy Spirit (“when deep talks to deep”), and is far less limiting than our other actors on thought filtering. It has an other basic tendency – “yes and amen” instead of negativity, life instead of death, light instead of darkness.
Yet we have been living for such a long time with our two agents of decision making. They drove our life and are not very keen of loosing power. Paul says that we have been saved (spirit), are being saved daily (soul) by changing our mindset, and will be saved in an instance (body) when Jesus returns or we return to Him.
Changing our decision making process is by no means narrowing down our options. In the contrary, we start experiencing the creativity of God with no early negativistic road blocks such as “I don’t feel like it”, “how could that be”, “it never worked”, “I am not worthy or capable”. Yet it is not easy and needs work to train my rules engine to change the weights on the rules, the priorities and sequence of application. As I said, we have long been trained.
Yet there is hope. Paul in Romans 7:19-20 says that if he is urged to do bad things, it is not him, but sin that urges him. We are not defined by our memories, we are defined by God: we are children of God. Therefore, when we accept Him, we can change sides. Instead of staying on sin’s side, always ashamed of failure, giving in to excuses, and eventually giving up and/or blaming God (“you made me like this”, “this is just who I am”), we can join God. Look at myself just like God does.
From God’s viewpoint, my old nature is dead. It died 2000 years ago on the cross, as Jesus became sin – or let’s say humanity – and died for us all. Therefore, my problems are long gone memories. No, I do not mean that I do not have any problems any more, no, those long gone memories, those lies about me, the facts that were true of this dead body called ego, these are my problems. Standing on God’s side, seeing the truth about it, lets me confess in faith what is true: I am a new creation, and these memories, trained behaviours, emotions are facts of the past.
Easy? By no means. But we are not alone. God became man in Jesus to give us a perfect example. And just remember: He was all man! He gave us His Word, talking about all these men and women that came through and giving us great examples of great successes and failures to glean from. And even more than this. Just as Paul told the Corintheans to immitate him, there have been people at any time in history to immitate.
Look around, and you will find people God placed in your environment, especially your church, who do things differently and godly. They somehow do not seem to be limited or preconditioned on things. They spark an idea in your head: this can be done differently! Let them mentor you. Learn from the Word, books, and godly people.
And feed your spirit. Give it the energy to influence your other parts. Feed on the Word. Pray. Live in an environment that brings forth the best in you. Or as the Bible says it: do not forsake the coming together. That means: assemble as the church often. And have your spirit take authority and train your soul and body to behave godly: fast (that will get your body to listen), talk to yourself, build great memories, but also:
Expect! As we saw in the beginning, scientists measure what they expect. Expect God to come through. And your bill is not another piece of the road to bankrupcy, but another oportunity for God to brake through, another sign of your being blessed.
Nature is an external example of God’s principles at work that we can learn from. As Paul said, nobody has an excuse that he did not know God as He reveals Himself in nature manyfold. For so many centuries scientists have believed that nature is based on simple rules, on memories (gene pools), and mathematical equations. Now they find that nature is determined by the observer.
The quintessence: you and God, you form your future – through faith and expectation. The measurement method: first and foremost a living and nurtured spirit, then a soul preconditioned through expectation, and a willing body by training. The view point: I am a new creation on God’s side.