{"id":37566,"date":"2024-04-17T11:01:42","date_gmt":"2024-04-17T18:01:42","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/?p=37566"},"modified":"2024-04-17T11:03:47","modified_gmt":"2024-04-17T18:03:47","slug":"inviting-god-to-safeguard-me-from-my-defaults","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/inviting-god-to-safeguard-me-from-my-defaults\/","title":{"rendered":"Inviting God to Safeguard Me from My Defaults"},"content":{"rendered":"

Shane Parrish begins his book Clear Thinking<\/em> by revealing a common misconception we often hold. We mistakenly believe that the future will work out if we get the big decisions right. Guilty as charged! However, Parrish argues it\u2019s the ordinary moments that determine our future. [1] In Clear Thinking<\/em>, Parrish draws lessons from the wisdom of others and his own experiences. Parrish writes, \u201cEach moment puts you in a better or worse position to handle the future. It\u2019s that positioning that eventually makes life easier or harder.\u201d [2] Ultimately, Parrish supports the idea that we can position ourselves to think clearly. Positioning ourselves well allows us to make better decisions and turn ordinary moments into extraordinary results.<\/p>\n

To position ourselves to think clearly, we must first identify our defaults. Parrish warns readers of four defaults, also known as the enemies of clear thinking. These include the emotion default, the ego default, the social default, and the inertia default. [3] This post will not present the specifics concerning the emotion, ego, social, or inertia defaults but rather what can be done to manage them well. Fortunately, Parrish suggests our defaults can be reprogrammed. He writes, \u201cThe good news is that the same biological tendencies that make us react without reasoning can be reprogrammed into forces for good.\u201d [4] As a follower of Jesus, I believe a Holy Spirit reprogramming must also occur. In the Christian’s decision-making, we can ask God to enter the space and give wisdom and clarity. As I nodded to Parrish\u2019s Clear Thinking<\/em>, I also leaned on Henri Nouwen\u2019s Discernment<\/em> and the need for wisdom from above when making decisions in ordinary moments. Discernment<\/em> is a collection of Nouwen\u2019s firsthand experiences of finding God\u2019s guidance. I find Nouwen\u2019s reflections a Spirit-driven compliment to Parrish\u2019s practical human lessons in positioning ourselves well for decision-making.<\/p>\n

Parrish speaks to the safeguards that protect us from our defaults. He suggests a correlation between safeguards and a person\u2019s ability to think clearly and make good decisions. Parrish states, \u201cOverriding your defaults requires implementing safeguards that render the invisible visible and that prevent you from acting too soon. And it requires cultivating habits of mind\u2014accountability, knowledge, discipline, and confidence\u2014that put you on the right track and keep you there.\u201d [5] Developing safeguards requires intentionality on the part of the individual. However, for Christians, there is a deeper spiritual aspect concerning safeguards. Following Nouwen\u2019s reflections in Discernment<\/em>, he speaks to the power of daily liturgy and prayer. Nouwen writes, \u201cOur prayers are directed not to ourselves but to Another, who wants to turn us around, who longs to be present, and who is able to guide us. The one who prays to God pierces the darkness and senses the source of all being.\u201d [6] Nouwen recognized the importance of bringing God into the ordinary moments, trusting he was God\u2019s beloved child. In Discernment\u2019s<\/em> foreword, Robert Jonas describes Nouwen\u2019s path of discernment as one that led to a less chaotic life with less anxiety and fear. It was a daily practice. [7] Nouwen writes, \u201cDiscernment of spirits is a lifelong task. I can see no other path to discernment than to be committed to a life of unceasing prayer and contemplation, a life of deep communion with the Spirit of God.\u201d [8] The intentional, disciplined communion with God is pivotal in the Christian\u2019s life. Nothing protects me more than inviting God to safeguard me from my defaults.<\/p>\n

Both Parrish and Nouwen write from their experiences, each displaying a pursuit of wisdom. Each emphasizes the importance of ordinary moments. Parrish speaks to the practical human wisdom we can implement daily, while Nouwen seeks divine wisdom from above. As a Christian, I recognize the importance of both. However, I see the invaluable benefit of prioritizing wisdom from God while navigating defaults. I discussed in a recent blog post a traumatic break-in that occurred at my house on Friday, April 5th. Until that moment, I thought my environment was secure. However, during this process, I watched myself shut down. Before the break-in, I was delighted with all that I had implemented in my personal life this semester. I felt well-balanced and confident that I was conquering my defaults. However, the break-in showed me this can crumble in a moment. I needed something, someone more powerful. I cannot imagine living the past few weeks without God\u2019s guidance and clarity in decision-making. I greatly appreciate Parrish\u2019s wisdom concerning awareness of our defaults and ways to safeguard against them. His practical lessons teach us how to position ourselves well. I will continue to put these into practice. However, I believe there is a spiritual aspect that can position us best, safeguards that are most secure in God’s presence.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

[1] Shane Parrish, Clear Thinking<\/em>: Turning Ordinary Moments into Extraordinary Results <\/em>(London: Penguin Publishing Group, 2023), p. xi,\u00a0Kindle Edition.<\/p>\n

[2] Shane Parrish, Clear Thinking (London: Penguin Publishing Group, 2023), p. xiv, Kindle Edition.<\/em><\/p>\n

[3] Shane Parrish, Clear Thinking (London: Penguin Publishing Group, 2023), p. xiv, Kindle Edition.<\/em><\/p>\n

[4] Shane Parrish, Clear Thinking (London: Penguin Publishing Group, 2023), p. xiv, Kindle Edition.<\/em><\/p>\n

[5] Shane Parrish, Clear Thinking (London: Penguin Publishing Group, 2023), p. 246, Kindle Edition.<\/em><\/p>\n

[6] Henri J. M. Nouwen, Discernment: Reading the Signs of Daily Life, <\/em>(New York: HarperCollins, 2013), p. 336, Kindle Edition.<\/p>\n

[7] Henri J. M. Nouwen, Discernment <\/em>(New York: HarperCollins, 2013), Kindle Edition.<\/p>\n

[8] Henri J. M. Nouwen, Discernment <\/em>(New York: HarperCollins, 2013), p. 21, Kindle Edition.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Shane Parrish begins his book Clear Thinking by revealing a common misconception we often hold. We mistakenly believe that the future will work out if we get the big decisions right. Guilty as charged! However, Parrish argues it\u2019s the ordinary moments that determine our future. [1] In Clear Thinking, Parrish draws lessons from the wisdom […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":208,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[2967,1692],"class_list":["post-37566","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized","tag-dlgp03","tag-parrish","cohort-dlgp03"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/37566","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/208"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=37566"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/37566\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":37580,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/37566\/revisions\/37580"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=37566"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=37566"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=37566"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}