Perspective

I've been reminded lately that it's all about perspective. And in my opinion, perspective is a choice. Sure, it's shaped by my upbringing, life circumstances, and my personality, but I still have a choice how to view something. I can look at my daughter's drama as an exhausting drain or I can see her passion for life and how she experiences things with her whole self. I can see the potential of her personality and pray God would mold her and shape her for His purpose or I can hang my head in utter frustration. I can see the challenges of 3-year-old independence as a fight for control or I can see it as an opportunity to teach about authority. I can get angry that he doesn't always understand me or I can realize that he must feel the same way when I don't understand him. I can wake up unexcited about another day of the same-old, same-old or I can be excited about what God is going to do - even if it is something so small no one else might care. It's all about perspective. Suz over at Steece's Pieces (link on the right) wrote beautifully about choosing your attitude - and she should know being the mom of quadruplets!

My devotional today also talked about perspective - faith perspective (from Beth Moore's Whispers of Hope, day 36, p. 132). How do we define and exercise our faith? How we do makes all the difference. She says "believers in Christ must place their faith in one of two factors: either what God does or who God is."

For those placing their faith in what God does, they choose to ride an insane roller coaster. Think about it. If my faith is based on what God is doing around me, there will be no consistency. I know I'm not the only one who feels like God has left the building at times. There are times of dryness, of silence, and of disagreement (meaning I don't like how He's choosing to bring glory to His name, most likely because it means something hard for me). His ways are higher than our ways and His thoughts are higher than our thoughts (Isaiah 55:9). If no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love him (1 Corin. 2:9), then how can we expect to understand everything He is doing? So if my faith is based on what He is doing, I will have times of little or no faith. Beth writes, "Remember that most of what God does is invisible - totally outside our realm of observation or understanding. We cannot base our faith on what He appears to be doing or how dramatically He answers our prayers - because faith founded on God's apparent actions is not faith at all."

Hebrews 11:1 says that "faith is being...certain of what we do not see."

Those who place their faith in WHO God is will not experience the same roller coaster as they walk through life. God does not change like the shifting shadows (James 1:17) - He is the same yesterday, today, and forever (Heb. 13:8). He was God before time began, He is God now, and He will be God long after my last breath. As Beth writes, "Our faith must rest on God's identity, not His activity." Hebrews 11:27 says Moses "persevered because he saw him who is invisible." After all that Moses had seen in his life (hello, burning bush!), it was his faith in Who God is that helped him persevere. While life's circumstances may not be easy, we will find "stability in Who He is."

I don't know about you, but the older I get the less I like roller coasters - especially emotional ones. There are a lot of things in life right now that aren't as I hoped they would be, but I have a choice about my perspective. And, in my opinion, perspective is key. Thank you, Lord, that you are no less God just because life isn't my perfect dream.