Change Of Perspective
We can get side swiped by the ugliness of life and it renders us completely broken, angry, sad, hopeless, afraid and lost. "God, where were you? Why didn't you stop this from happening to me? What am I supposed to do now? Where do I go from here?” What do we do when all of the dreams we had for our life lie in a broken pile at our feet?
When life rears it’s merciless head we have a choice: We can either take the high road or the road our flesh demands we take, the “easy” road. The easy road consists of bitterness, un forgiveness, hopelessness, gossip, rage, self pity, depression, addiction, suicide, sexual immorality and the list goes on and on. It’s easy to take, it’s always present and available, It’s the widest and shortest road but when we come to the end of it there is nothing but darkness waiting for us. We are called to take the hight road. It requires us to climb higher, it requires us to use muscles we didn’t even know we had. It requires focus, endurance, it requires us to keep looking up and to keep climbing until we reach the top.
Psalm 121: 1-2 “I lift up my eyes to the mountains—where does my help come from? My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth.”
Through painful circumstances I have been forced to change my perspective. Pain tries every time to get us focused on what don't have, what miracles haven't happened, the pain that is still present, the emptiness that is still evident. In seasons of trial and pain we have to look to God, the maker of the heavens and the earth, the supplier of every need, the lifter of our head, the peace maker, the restorer. He is the One who has our answers and cares deeply for us.
God is present even when the horrible happens to us. He is not far removed, He has not forsaken us, He has not forgotten about us. Through every heartbreaking, difficult, hopeless situation God is still good. I can look back on every pivotal event in my life that could or would have destroyed me, my hope, my focus, my trust, my faith and see that He was present and carried me through all of it.
I have cried, cussed, screamed, punched things but through it all God didn’t forsake me instead He directed my focus to the higher road and in obedience, I climbed. I have wanted so many times, to choose the easy road. I have stood before it and contemplated taking that road, then I am reminded of a time when I traveled down it and how it almost destroyed me. Then I look at the high road, take a deep breath and say, “God not my will but Yours be done” and I begin my climb.
