It’s a matter of perspective

I sat next to a middle-aged French gentleman on the plane from Frankfurt to Geneva. We were flying above thick white clouds which resembled masses of cotton wool. Above us, the sun shone brightly making the clouds glitter like diamonds in the sky. I was thrilled with the beauty of it all. He, however, was depressed, and with a sigh, he said, “another cloudy day –  I haven’t seen the sun in three weeks!”

It hit me like a bucket of cold water; the sun was there, it shone brilliantly! Yet he was so focused on what he had seen the previous three weeks and on what he expected to see in the next few days, that he missed the moment!

How often do we make up our minds about what our reality will be before we have lived it? How often do we limit our dreams when we have no idea of what our Creator dreamed about us when He created us?

Only God knows the hidden parts of the heart and only He judges fairly and correctly.  God has plans for our lives – for a future filled with hope and joy.   Yet, we choose to look at the clouds, day after day after day.

God’s Word teaches us in Pro 23:7:  As a man thinks in his heart, so is he! This means that, once we change our focus away from the clouds towards the Son, everything changes. Loss becomes gain, weakness becomes strength, and tears turn into joy.

It’s all a matter of perspective. When we embrace the Son, life regains meaning, death loses its’ fear and deep joy becomes our daily portion.

Jer 29:11

For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope.