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The Frequency Illusion, also known as the Baader-Meinhoff phenomenon, is a cognitive bias which describes our tendency to see new information, names, ideas or patterns 'everywhere' soon after they're first brought to our attention.
Our God
really created a masterpiece when He created humans. Remember the Scriptures
state that when he formed man from the dust of the ground that His breath gave
life to man. Unlike other creatures who He made just from speaking Words, He
actually created man from dirt and breathed into man’s nostrils causing him to
become a living soul. This process includes taking air from within HIMSELF and
expelling that air into man’s body. Creating life this way equipped all humans
with the ability to think instead of reacting from instinct like the animal
kingdom. However, one unique feature of a human is his incredible talent for
pattern recognition that is known as Badder-Meinhoff phenomenon or commonly
called frequency illusion. In other words, our brain will process new
information like names or patterns while constantly identify these same names
and patterns anywhere thereafter. For instance, one may become pregnant, then
the pregnant individual or the spouse of the pregnant female will constantly notice
others who are likewise pregnant. Remember, as humans we are created in the
image and likeness of God; yet, we only tend to recognize our physical
attributes while often times limiting our spiritual awareness. The
Badder-Meinhoff phenomenon gives us a glimpse into our ability of spiritual awareness.
For example, Elisha, a prophet in the Old Testament demonstrated his spiritual
awareness on many occasions. On one occasion, he prayed that his servant will become
aware of his spiritual senses when he became frightened. The enemy of Israel
had come to capture Elisha from aiding the king of Israel, and they had camped
and surrounded the mountain side where Elisha resided. So his servant was
frighten when he saw this army. Notice Elisha’s prayer for his servant.
“Don’t be afraid,” the prophet answered. “Those who are with us are more
than those who are with them.” And Elisha prayed, “Open his eyes, Lord, so that
he may see.” Then the Lord opened the servant’s eyes, and he looked and saw the
hills full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha. 2 Kings
6:16-17
The
existence of the spiritual realm was already intact, but the limitation of seeing
this spiritual realm rested on the inability of the servant to see. Our natural
eyes can only see tangible things around us yet when we encounter a
Badder-Meinhoff phenomenon, we become sensitized to that experience while
enabling you to focus on similar experiences. I can imagine how Elisha’s
servant reacted when he encountered another similar situation of being
surrounding by his enemies. Was he able to see with his spiritual eyes again?
When you read about Elisha and his insights concerning simple things that he
encountered such as using a stick to rescue an iron ax that fell into the lake,
give you confidence of everyday successes relating to the spiritual realm. It
you look closer at what the servant saw with his spiritual eyes, “he saw the hills full of horses and chariots
of fire.” Yet, his natural eyes saw men on horses and chariots against
them, but his spiritual eyes saw more horses and chariots for them. Even
the model prayer, Jesus requested that we should include a similar statement, “Your will be done on earth as it is in
heaven.” Therefore, whatever God’s will is in the heaven then we must align
our actions on earth with that will. When this alignment with God materializes
then we will see with our spiritual eyes like the servant of Elisha.
As we
continue in this battle with COVID-19, my prayer is like Elisha’s prayer for
his servant. Open the spiritual eyes of your people that we may see. Then,
I know that we will see more for us than what is actually against us.
