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Friday, November 23, 2007

Outcomes and affect: faith reverses the two


by Kevin Scott Collier
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Outcome and affect. It seems to make sense. Something happens, and you respond. But in the spiritual application, the two are reversed

People think that an outcome is a conclusion, resolve, a result, or perhaps an achievement reached, sometimes even an accomplishment.

Affect is an emotional response of how that outcome makes us feel.

If you receive a greeting card in the mail filled with words of encouragement and inspiration, happiness is how it changed us, or affect. But for most of us, the card rarely comes, thus we become discouraged.

We, as people, often wait for an outcome to direct how we should feel. Something good has to happen in our favor before we are happy. The secret is that strong faith reverses the two. It is Affect, then outcome. This is how God works in us.

People need to stop simply responding to outcomes, and seed a change now...the affect, that expects better outcomes.

Many of us say, "I'll be happy when this problem is solved," or "when I get all my bills caught up, I will feel better." We thrive on an existence where we impatiently wait for an outcome. Our response depends on how much of the outcome has leaned in our favor. If you really want more of God's favor, His affect on you comes first. That is how better outcomes are born. Affect and outcome.

If you desire a better life, then faithfully expect one. Get into a "God affected me" frame of heart and mind and smile when there is no greeting card. If you are just sitting around, waiting for things to happen, you need to remember that God is an agent of promise. Through Him you can expect things to happen in your favor. Spiritually dig yourself out of that "response only" world.

Outcomes are really the result of how Jesus has affected you. Remember, it's the smile that brings the card, not the card that brings the smile.

2 comments:

Unknown said...

I see this very insightful post and felt it needed a comment if only to say thank you. The reminder is that you get what you give in life, operative thought being you give first. What you give you receive. Jesus didn't wait to do miracles until He got something, He just gave. Thanks

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