Before we begin to really discuss living “outside the box”
we need to take a little time to define what it means to be “inside” or “outside”
the box. If living “outside” the box is the goal, what makes living “inside”
the box something to leave behind?
What is “inside”? What’s
wrong with living “inside the box”? Well…nothing really, except there is a good
possibility that if you are living inside the box you are living far below your
potential, below God’s intended purpose for your life. To live “inside the box”
is to live inside perceived or actual limitations imposed on us by ourselves or
someone else. It’s a way of thinking and seeing the world. It’s a way of
thinking and seeing ourselves. We may not even realize that we are living below
our potential because living inside the box can be very safe and comfortable. We
may feel content, but in actuality we may be living far below true satisfaction
and God's highest plans for us. Living
inside the box can make my world so much smaller than it was ever intended to
be. Believe me, I have been there living in that small world, and truthfully, I didn't want to leave.
What is “outside”? To
live “outside the box” is to begin to see possibilities that you never dared to
imagine for yourself and to begin to take the necessary steps to actually achieve
them. When we start to take those steps, we begin to envision a life that is
more fulfilling and satisfying. As each step takes us closer in pursuing what
seemed an impossible dream, the dream begins to seem much less impossible. With each baby step outside your perceived boundaries
you begin to see yourself as capable of achieving the dreams that you have
never uttered to another soul. What is really awesome is that on the road
toward pursuing the first dream, other long-forgotten dreams begin to re-awaken
and suddenly seem less impossible as well. And most awesome of all, you begin
to taste the possibility of a totally different you.
What happens when I
live inside the box? As a box-dweller, I was content, comfortable, but not
satisfied. I knew God wanted more for me, but I didn't necessarily want it for
myself. I accepted the limitations that were handed to me. I never thought
of dreaming outside those limitations. As I journeyed on, I became aware that
God had bigger dreams for me, outside those perceived boundaries. It was safe
inside the box. I knew what was expected of me and I knew what to expect of
life. I didn't want to leave my box, but I knew that if I wanted to fulfill God’s
purpose for my life, then I needed to step outside. It took a while, but eventually, I began to dream, to do and to be more than I
imagined possible.
Are you “in” or “out”?
So, what are the limitations you perceive? Are they real, or is there a world
of possibility outside your box? You
may be content, but are you truly satisfied? Are you living God's purposes for
you? Explore your possibilities.
Dare to dream. Dare to do. Dare to be.
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