When Steve Jobs first presented the iPhone, there were millions of people saying to themselves, "Another cell phone... I've already got one of those... What's the big deal?"Now, however, if you ask anyone who has an iPhone (including me) why it's "a big deal", they will keep you pinned down for hours going on and on about all the cool aps.
I think of CO2 in the same way.
On the surface, the CO2 can seem (pick one) mechanical, artificial, boring, uninspiring, basic, pedestrian. "Listening to God... Ya, I know how do that. What's the big deal? This is first grade stuff. Been there, done that. I'll be bored with this in two weeks. I'm looking for something really powerful! Something life changing! Got anything like that?"
I'm sympathetic to these comments because, on the surface, CO2 does look like just another gimmick. What has changed for me is that I've come to see CO2 not as a program with boxes to be checked but as the entrance to an inexhaustible gold mine. I've been doing it with a number of people (individuals and groups) for over a year and I'm not close to being bored.
What I've come to understand is that I will spend the rest of my life learning to pay attention to the heart that Jesus gave me. Learning to accurately notice and name what I'm feeling. Learning to understand what those feelings are telling me about what is going on inside. And, learning that same attentiveness to the hearts of my partners. And, most importantly, learning to accurately and deeply hear my Father's voice.
So, how to communicate to people the true nature of the CO2? (Just so we are clear, it's not really about CO2. That's just a container for these two rhythms. And, it's not even about the rhythms. They are just doorways to help us connect to the heart - my heart, your heart and God's heart. That's what's important!)
I have two thoughts on helping people "get" the CO2.
First, and most important, do it with them. Just reading about CO2 doesn't really do it justice. But, getting close to someone who is going deeper in learning pay attention to their own heart is a transformational experience by itself. And, connecting daily with someone who has an increasingly intimate, conversational relationship with the Father begins to create a powerful hunger within a person.
Second, tell stories. (One example is the interview we posted a few days ago with Tim Morris.) Paint the picture of what it's like to daily walk through the CO2 door with another person.
Show people what an iPhone can really do and most of them will be amazed and intrigued. They will begin to see that it's way more than "just another cell phone". They'll probably begin to want one for themselves.
Same with a CO2.
Your thoughts?
John
John, what do you think is a good way to get through the initial awkwardness some people have with just simply listening to God w/o an agenda?
ReplyDelete"Do it with them" and "Tell stories" are very crucial. It is so easy to take for granted that you say these words, "Listen to the Lord" and another person will know what you mean. There is too much baggage and uncertainty in that for many people. True leadership will step in and nurture a process. "Let's listen to the Lord together about that. Would you like to do that together? Do you have any questions about it? Here's what I want you to do . . . get out a piece of paper, ask the Lord . . ., write down the spontaneous thoughts that come to mind, etc." Then after you have listened with them, "What did you hear? Wow! That's great. Tell me more. Can I share an observation, it seemed like you were so caught up in analyzing (I thought it was the Lord, but then I thought . . .), next time we try this don't analyze as much just follow the spontaneous flow, I will help you." Hold there hand and walk them through the process.
ReplyDeleteThe Lord will show up and defend himself. One of my greatest insights in leading many people so far is the first words that they ALWAYS here. God has without fail told those I lead, "I love you." They are his first words or his first picture in the listening process. It is powerful to hear the stories of someone you lead when they are touched by God's love. Nothing will create more hunger.
One other insight. It is not always as easy as starting with what is the Lord saying. We have found that listening to the heart helps listen beneath the superficial level. Some people never ever listen beneath this level. They don't know how to and they don't have people drawing out their story with questions that probe beneath. This is an important first step toward listening to the Lord because it gets you in tune with your voice and your awareness of yourself. It teaches something about distinguishing the voice of God, myself, Satan, etc. SASHET is more than a counseling session and more than telling about your day, it is a platform for a good discipler to probe into the story and draw it out. You will teach attentiveness to your partners.
Hi Jace,
ReplyDeleteI agree with Hobby. Doing it with them is certainly the best way to teach this to someone. This is especially true with the part about "listen for spontaneous thoughts". For someone who is more left brained like me, I didn't intuitively "get" this idea of listening to God right away. I needed to practice with someone. I needed their validation about spontaneous thoughts that came to me. Once I experienced what they were talking about, spending time with God without an agenda wasn't difficult at all. Most mornings now I will spend an hour or more dialoguing and journaling with Papa. We talk about all sorts of things and I wouldn't miss it for the world.
That's so amazing: the first words I heard when I began the listening process were, "I love you, Jace," like six weeks ago.
ReplyDeleteI'm definitely going to internalize this counsel. Thanks Hobby. Thanks John.
Alongside the iPhone's "deceptive power" is it is infinitesimally small for all the things some people (okay...including ME) do with the phone. It is "deceptively small," much in the same way a CO2 is. You can't get much smaller than 2, and if you can't hear God in community at the level of 2, then you may pause before trying to hear God in any other size community.
ReplyDeleteGreat insight, Mark! I hadn't thought of the similarity in terms of smallness.
ReplyDelete