Perspective

I have been thinking a lot about perspective and have struggled with putting my thoughts into words for a blog entry.  I'm not sure I have fully formulated what I want or mean to say but here goes....

I love to take pictures.  I love thinking about what I'm going to take pictures of...I love setting up the shot...I love editing the photos afterwards...I just love the entire thing.  I recently spent some time shooting photos at an open mic night at The Electric Bean.  I wandered back and forth around the room taking different shots and it was a living, breathing lesson on perspective. 

Perspective is such an  interesting word.  It is a key to change in my opinion.  Changing the angle or how it's cropped or the point of focus in a photo can give you an entirely new perspective.  Perspective can not only change a photograph but it can also change your outlook, your attitude, your determination and your course in life.

It is so easy to get caught up in our own way of seeing things.  Our own perspective.  We can get overwhelmed and frustrated because all we can see is our own point of view.  Often times though, if you run a situation by a friend, or family member or co-worker, they will have an entirely different perspective on it.  It will become fresh and new and maybe not so hard to tackle.

We are supposed to see things from God's perspective.  Isaiah 55:8 says:

"For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the Lord"

That can be such a frustrating and freeing verse all at the same time. 

I like to understand things.  I want to know why things are a certain way or why someone is thinking the way that they do.  I hated it as a kid when my parents would say "because I said so".  Luckily for me, they didn't say that to often and actually did take the time to try and explain why they were making the decision they were making.  But I just hate not understanding why something is the way that it is.

That's why I can get so frustrated at that verse.  I want to understand why God is doing what He is doing.  It isn't always enough for me to just accept and move on.  Nope, I have to wrestle and struggle and fight to try and understand.  Now in the end, there are times that after all that work, I'm no closer to understanding than when I started because God is God and I am not and His ways are not my ways.  I'm just a little slow at times on getting back to that realization.

That verse can also be very freeing as well.  If I can approach a situation with that perspective or even just switch my perspective to the fact that God is in control and I am not, then it is a huge weight lifted off my shoulders.  I don't have to struggle and fight and strain to try and understand or to solve whatever is happening. 

As long as I continue to seek the Lord...His guidance...His path...then I can rest in the fact that He is in control and when my perspective becomes overwhelmed or frustrated...I can turn to God and ask Him to show me His perspective.  I can remind myself that I am his daughter whom He loves and that He wants to give me good and perfect gifts.  Gifts that shape my character and my soul and that draw me closer to Him.

God has a perspective about everything...you, me, war, love, children, animals, heaven, hell, food, clothing, etc.  Ecclesiastes 1:9 says:

"What has been will be again, what has been done will be done again; there is nothing new under the sun."

There is nothing we face, or come up against, or struggle with or go thru that hasn't already been faced and struggled with before.  If we just spend time in God's word, we can learn His perspective about everything. If we shift our perspective to God's we will start seeing ourselves, others and the world around us differently.

In the end, our perspective should be eternal.  Philippians 3:13-14 says

"Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it.  But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus."

So, when you are faced with a situation or feeling overwhelmed, turn to God's Word.  Find out what His perspective is on it and always remember to keep pressing on towards the goal which is Christ Jesus.