Conflicting opinions

Have you ever had an opinion of someone and have someone tell you they have the complete opposite experience or opinion of the same person?

I know there are multiple sides to people — human being are complex — but to have someone see the person you love (or cannot stand to be near) in the completely opposite way is fascinating.

It’s come up quite a bit lately for me so it seems to be something that God is encouraging me to pay attention to.

I have watched this from a distance. Of course, I have been a bit smug when someone gave me the willies and it turned out they were, indeed, someone whose behaviors would make anyone squirm.

That 360 view helps — all angles does give a better prospective. But, to what end? And, truly, maybe the heart is the most important aspect of it all and only God knows what is in the heart of man.

So, we are left with what we see. And, I don’t know about you, but my vision is not perfect these days.

Discernment is so important. Considering the opinions and experiences of others can also be important but should be taken with a grain of salt.

When I see wildly different opinions on someone I tend to assume that the truth falls somewhere towards the middle. Some people are polarizing. Some people can really be a chameleon. And we are left trying to figure out what is true. And maybe all of it is true.

Maybe ________________ [fill in the blank] showed mostly be their rough exterior but a grandchild was able to experience their tender, loving side.

Maybe ________________ [fill in the blank] grew to be loving and patient and trustworthy but had burned a lot of bridges early on so people who knew them and were impacted by that earlier behavior will not ever trust them again.

Maybe ________________ [fill in the blank] showed a lot of love to a certain group of people from a distance but couldn’t quite muster up any of those warm fuzzies for their family who lived close to them.

Some things are not for us to solve or know. When I hear conflicting opinions about a person, I pay attention. There might even be conflicting opinions about me. I am much slower to change a good opinion to a bad one. But, if there is enough evidence to show the positive in someone I previously would have seen in a negative light, I am open to readjusting my opinion.

We all have our opinions and experiences. It is important to run all of it through God’s perspective. Ask Him to show you what you need to see. Why is all of this coming to your attention? What would He have you learn in this circumstance? And where do you go from here with the knowledge?

God’s perspective is the most important.

Clear vision

This week I will have surgery to address the cataract in my right eye. While I have cataracts in both eyes, only the right one is a problem at this time.

Have you ever noticed your vision or perspective change slowly over time? I rarely do. But, when things get to a point when it really feels different then I seem to realize that something has been happening, over time.

It’s kind of like the frog in the kettle. You don’t really notice where you are — maybe you are lulled into complacency — until it is (almost) too late.

Of course, I don’t feel like I am too late dealing with this cataract. And, by the end of the year my left eye might need to be done, too. That would be convenient, “deductibly” speaking.

But, if we are speaking about the way of the world and the destructive rabbit trails and worldly views that can subtly and quickly surround us, now that can really cause some issues.

How do we stand guard and protect or ensure God’s perspective is coming through?

By walking close to God.

Surrounding ourselves with Scripture is a big help. Regular communication with God — even if it is lamenting 😊– just keeping that door open is also important. Attending church services or Bible studies — and having Faith- filled friends and family are all ways to ensure — or at least help — your spiritual eyes to be aware and in synch with God.

And, sometimes, you might need to go “under the knife” to address the issue.

God is there, too!

Flexibility

If I keep up with the stretching, it allows me to be more flexible.

As God stretches me, He is opening me up to see His work. If I can take the time to let Him train me to consider things with His bird’s eye view, I can see the bigger picture — the Kingdom view. Instead of becoming unhinged when things don’t go “my” way, I can consider that maybe His way has a bigger Kingdom yield.

If you make sourdough bread, train for a marathon, or are a vocalist or musician doing your scales you know how important being flexible is. In fact, I would say every vocation or profession requires it. So just transfer what you know about flexibility in your realm and come at it with a Kingdom perspective.

God is always working. May I see His work more clearly each day and in all of my situations.

Glory and Majesty

Everything he does reveals his glory and majesty. His righteousness never fails. He causes us to remember his wonderful works. How gracious and merciful is our Lord! Psalm 111:3-4

A look at Creation surely reveals God’s majesty. It is easy to be in awe: the stars that fill the sky or the transformation of the butterfly. And there is the personal side of things: the provision of a Savior, the gift of love and sacrifice through Jesus, the daily gifts of grace and mercy.

The day gets so busy and sometimes seems to run away with me. But allowing a pause — better yet, creating the pause, allows us that time to remember His works in our world and His work in our lives and His work on our hearts.

As you start each day, may you create the space to reflect on God’s glory and majesty. Dig a little deeper into Psalm 111 today. Start listing the things God has done or is doing. He is always working to reveal is glory and majesty. When we stop for a bit, sometimes we can catch a glimpse. And, when we are face-to-face with Him in Heaven, I am sure we will be in absolute awe!

Point of view.

We all have a way we see things. It’s based on our history and experiences and the way we see the world. One important thing to consider is how much of how we see the world has a Godly influence? Are we getting closer to seeing things from God’s point of view?

I definitely ebb and flow a bit here. I can get sucked into the ruts of past ways of thinking— negative first impressions or hard core disappointments on how I (or worse yet, someone I love) was treated. But, remembering that God sees the big picture and He is working things out makes a big difference for me and my point of view.

God is working all things out — the good, the bad, and the ugly. The longer I walk with Him, the easier it is for me to grow my patience and perspective. Slowly, ever so slowly, it is getting closer to His. And that bring me peace.

The People

Today, let’s pray for the people involved in your day.

There are so many people and interactions you might have in a day — from emails to phone conversations to Zoom or in person meetings to service providers to family…..

When I started really thinking about this, I was almost overwhelmed. Each and every day people (and their dispositions and approach) are in our lives. They can impact us and we can impact them! Think of how much our perspectives and attitudes are influenced just because we spent time interacting with someone.

We can’t always control who is on our path for the day. But, as we consider our day, we know we will be in communication with others. It is good to think about where we are and how we influence communication.

What are we bringing into the interactions?

Have we given our own challenges and burdens to God so that we are free to hear and notice the needs of others?

Is it time for us to “come clean” and admit we are struggling so that those who care for us can intercede for us?

In the end, the person we spend the most time with is ourselves. So, that is one thing to be thinking about. The others we interact with all have their own things going on and sometimes that comes into play — even without them realizing it. There are times when our days are filled to the brim with interactions.

It is so easy to see why Jesus went off to a quiet place to pray. Let’s guard that time with God and lay out our day. We don’t have to present every detail. We just need to ask Him to cover the day and to help us see what He wants us to see throughout the day.

Then, because so many people were coming and going that they did not even have a chance to eat, he said to them, “Come with me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest.” Mark 6:31 NIV

Focus

Eyeglasses

Binoculars

Microscopes

Magnifiers

My glasses help bring things into focus. Since I don’t have to wear them all the time I don’t always have them with me when I need them. For some people, they can hardly see and glasses or contacts are necessary to start the day.

Binoculars allow us to see things in the distance. While using binoculars you are somewhat ignoring the current surroundings to bring something else into view. For a time. You can’t live with binoculars on your face, though some avid birders might want to!

Microscopes really bring an up-close and detailed look at things that are really not in our regular field of vision and require extra assistance to see. The microscopic world is fascinating but that is another area where too much time there means it is difficult to be in the here and now.

Magnifier pages are awesome for looking at maps with teeny, tiny towns. It takes a minute to figure out how to hold it so it does the greatest amount of good and it works great. It just takes some getting used to!

Our lives can benefit from all of these tools that bring our world into focus. There is a time and place for each of them but also a need for balance. Do you prefer to deal in the nitty, gritty details? Are you going for the overview? Do you like the long range planning? Are you caught up in the here and now that you are just in survival mode? I have found myself in all of those situations at different times in my life.

I love that God is here and now. He is in my present, my every day. And I appreciate that He is the God of details. His intricate creation is absolutely amazing. If that isn’t enough, He is also the God of generations – He sees the long range. He’s got everything from the big picture to the tiniest detail in His hand!

It is a challenge to juggle all of these ways to focus on my life. It isn’t easy changing my perspective all the time. I can do my part, but His part is so much bigger and comprehensive. Resting on God’s work, instead of my own, is important. I need to ask Him where I should be focused.

Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, ²fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.³Consider him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart. [Hebrews 12:1-3, NIV]

May your focus be on the work God is doing!

Liz

PrayerPrompt: FOCUS II

Perspective II

Grand Canyon w.jpeg

Wow. The Grand Canyon. Have you ever been there? It is incredibly huge. So huge that you need to spend a little time looking just so you can see. My brother went 30 years ago and he told me there isn’t a picture that can do it justice. So far, I agree. But there were plenty of us trying to capture a bit of the beauty of this place.

We went at the end of the day so there was some amazing light and incredible shadows. The sun was shining and there weren’t very many clouds. The light from the sun flooded all the cracks and crevices. But as the sun was setting, there were these shadows that really played with what I was seeing. They made some of the rock formations appear paper-thin. I knew it wasn’t true, yet I could see it with my own eyes. I knew what was true but my eyes told me what I knew was wrong.

Seeing isn’t everything. How many times are we right in front of something but we don’t see it? Or we thought we saw something but didn’t? If we witness an accident and the police officer questions us, we might give a version of the story that is different then the next person who has another perspective.

I was so surprised by what the shadows did in the canyon. And, digging a little deeper, what shadows can do in my life. Those shadows can be dark places; dark enough to mess with what I see. And my perspective gets messed up.

When I view my circumstances under the Light of God’s Word, it changes how I see things and gives me a full view of what I am facing.

¹¹If I say, “Surely the darkness will hide me
    and the light become night around me,”
¹²even the darkness will not be dark to you;
    the night will shine like the day,
    for darkness is as light to you.

¹³For you created my inmost being;
you knit me together in my mother’s womb. [Psalm 139: 11-13, NIV]

May the light of God’s Word flood your circumstance and bring you to a greater understanding and perspective.

Liz

PrayerPrompt: VISION

Grand Canyon Blues w.jpeg

Perspective

Where I have been can inform me about where I am going. Of course, it isn’t always a sure thing. And that is a good thing.

If I come from a place of pain and I don’t process it properly, I might look for and anticipate pain in all parts of my life. If I come from a place of safety and security, my discernment might not be developed enough to perceive danger. Of course, personality tendencies play a role here, too. We all know a Tigger-type personality. And, we all know those who view the world like Eeyore does.

Oh bother!

Focusing on the negatives typically produces more negative. Experiences, both good and bad, leave their marks on us. How we process them is important. Those negative situations in my life can trip me up so keeping my mind and heart focused on God’s Word helps me be oriented!

⁸Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. ⁹Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you. [Philippians 4:8-9, NIV]

This will be a two-part PrayerPoint because we will be at the Grand Canyon later on today and I am sure it will provide some further insight.

PrayerPrompt: PERSPECTIVE

PrayerPoints ~ Monday, February 29th

James 3-17-18w

Today’s PrayerPoint ~ Psalm 34

“The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.” Psalm 34:18

There is so much comfort in Psalm 34. I just highlighted one verse above out of many I draw comfort from. As you read through this Psalm, do you find one particular verse that is encouraging? Write it out and commit it to memory!

What I love about God’s Word is it is always relevant to my life. Sometimes a certain passage in Scripture will remind me of an earlier time in my life because there is a song connected to it or a particular situation that it brings to mind. I can’t imagine traveling through life without God’s Word to sharpen my focus, widen my perspective of His work, provide me with His peace, reminding me of His love, or helping me face my sin.

As you walk through this week, write down a verse that has been important to you in your Christian walk. You might also consider writing down why it is meaningful to you and sharing it with someone. You can post it in the comments section below.

Blessings on your week!

Liz