Perspective-it will change your life
I've been pondering a few things as of late. One is the sad truth that we do not turn and run to Jesus as we see people doing in the New Testament. He was seen as the ONLY one who could intervene in a variety of situations. He was turned to for healing, for raising from the dead, for provision, for friendship, and for interventions into nature that were beyond the onlookers ability to fathom. We have all these recorded events and yet, for whatever reason, we do not run to our Lord-begging Him to intervene.
Why? Or maybe I should ask why not? Why don't I immediately go to Him?
Well, the truth, and I hate this, but it's the truth, the truth is that I am too busy being annoyed at the fact that I even have whatever the issue is. Instead of running to Jesus for help, I hold a grudge against Him because He didn't prevent the pain from happening in the first place. I'm busy holding His sovereign power against Him and demanding an explanation for the pain I'm experiencing. I back track past the hurt and demand reasons for the problem in the first place.
How backward is my perspective and how badly I need Him to change it.
When I teach, I often use an illustration that has to do with our view of God's Word. When we are busy looking at it through the lens of our pain, the trial, or struggles it will never make sense, and we will be left with a tainted view of God and His promises. However, when we turn that around and put the Bible in its rightful place, the lens through which we see all the awful that we are experiencing then everything is put in proper perspective. This is the life and peace that Romans 8 speaks to-being "spiritually minded".
This pondering has caused me to see that the deepest issue is still my rotten wretched flesh manifested in the desire for an easy life. One with no difficulty. I want things to work out so that the promise of a future and hope are based on my definitions of those things. So when I'm forced to accept the trial I spiritually fold my arms across my chest and stomp my feet and tell God how wrong it was for Him to allow this. How I wish I would throw the temper tantrum against sin and its devastating effects instead. Sadly, I've been walking with the Lord this long and I still need a regular perspective change.
For to be carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. Romans 8:6
Why? Or maybe I should ask why not? Why don't I immediately go to Him?
Well, the truth, and I hate this, but it's the truth, the truth is that I am too busy being annoyed at the fact that I even have whatever the issue is. Instead of running to Jesus for help, I hold a grudge against Him because He didn't prevent the pain from happening in the first place. I'm busy holding His sovereign power against Him and demanding an explanation for the pain I'm experiencing. I back track past the hurt and demand reasons for the problem in the first place.
How backward is my perspective and how badly I need Him to change it.
When I teach, I often use an illustration that has to do with our view of God's Word. When we are busy looking at it through the lens of our pain, the trial, or struggles it will never make sense, and we will be left with a tainted view of God and His promises. However, when we turn that around and put the Bible in its rightful place, the lens through which we see all the awful that we are experiencing then everything is put in proper perspective. This is the life and peace that Romans 8 speaks to-being "spiritually minded".
This pondering has caused me to see that the deepest issue is still my rotten wretched flesh manifested in the desire for an easy life. One with no difficulty. I want things to work out so that the promise of a future and hope are based on my definitions of those things. So when I'm forced to accept the trial I spiritually fold my arms across my chest and stomp my feet and tell God how wrong it was for Him to allow this. How I wish I would throw the temper tantrum against sin and its devastating effects instead. Sadly, I've been walking with the Lord this long and I still need a regular perspective change.
For to be carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. Romans 8:6