What If… Breaking the Programming

I’ve been reflecting lately on how much of what I believe – about myself, others, business, and faith, is simply what I’ve always known. Not because it’s been tested, but because it’s familiar. What if what we believe isn’t actually true? What if, breaking the programming of what we believe was needed?

What if what you have always believed… isn’t actually true?
Not because it’s wrong on purpose…
But because it’s what you’ve always known. You’ve been programmed.

Proverbs 14:12

There is a way that seems right to a man….

It reminds me of that story about a family tradition. A mother always cuts the backend of the turkey off before roasting it. When her daughter asked why, the mom replied, “Because Grandma always did.” So, they asked Grandma, and she laughed, saying, “I only did that because I never had a pan big enough for the whole turkey!”

That habit passed down unquestioned… even though the reason no longer applied.

We all carry these programmed beliefs. Whether it’s about how life works, how we lead, or even how we relate to God.

Jeremiah 17:9

The heart is deceitful above all things…

Familiar Doesn’t Always Mean True

Growth often begins when we ask, “Is this actually true… or just what I’ve always thought?”

Transformation requires questioning what feels comfortable because familiar doesn’t always mean true.

Not all programming is wrong…
but unexamined programming is limiting.

Romans 12:2 reminds us to be transformed by the renewing of our minds.

Transformation doesn’t just happen by doing more…
It happens by thinking differently.  It happens by allowing the word of God to transform us.

And what if we could see beyond the three-dimensional realm we live in?

What if, by renewing our minds, we could truly see into the deeper reality of God’s Word? What if we could see His truth beyond what feels familiar?

John 8:32

Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.

There’s so much more waiting when we let Him show us what’s beyond the surface.

The Limits We Place on God

We might limit God based on past disappointments, assuming He won’t act beyond what we’ve already seen.

Sometimes, we project our limits onto Him.  We think He’s bound by time, resources, or our understanding of what’s possible.

And sometimes… we simply settle into what feels logical or safe.

But God has never been limited by our understanding.

Ephesians 3:20

Now to Him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine…

Recognizing those limits is the first step to letting them go.  We must allow God to be as big as He truly is, beyond what we’ve known, imagined, or expected.

2 Corinthians 10:5 reminds us to take every thought captive, not just accept every thought as truth.

Moving Beyond the Programming

I think it starts with awareness… and surrender.

We recognize where we’ve placed those limits, maybe through assumptions, fears, or patterns of thinking. Then we actively invite God into those places, asking Him to stretch our faith.

Hebrews 11:6

Without faith it is impossible to please God.

It’s about stepping out beyond what we’re comfortable with, trusting even when we don’t see the full picture. Not being swayed by what others say or think. No matter what it looks like, feels like, or what you’re trying to make sense of.  Not even because that is the way Grandma did it.

Surrounding ourselves with truth, through Scripture, community, and reminders of how God has been faithful, helps us walk forward.

And then… we practice letting go.

Letting God lead, rather than trying to fit Him into our expectations.

It’s a journey.
But one step of trust at a time… it will take us beyond those limits.

Challenge of the Week

What belief (or disbelief) are you holding onto right now… simply because it’s what you’ve always known…or couldn’t believe about God because of what you’ve heard? And what if this week… you invited God to rewrite that programming?  So be it.