Thursday, June 30, 2011

Climbing Upward To Gain A New Perspective

I've been taking time to walk and pray in Southern California, heading up a pathway each day to a hilltop overlooking the Pacific Ocean.  The panoramic view gives me a whole new perspective of where I'm at.  But.  I have to make the effort to get there, which is an upward climb. It's worth the effort.  I'm changed by seeing a greater picture, reminded there's a greater purpose.

I've come to realize we need to stand in the place, where we can see more than our stuff or the people who surround us before we begin the day. Perspective changes our thoughts and behavior, for good and bad, depending on how much we are willing to see.
The thing is . . . we need to focus on life through the perspective of God . . .  rather than through the minutiae of the day. It's worth the effort to move to the place where we can get our eyes off self and see what more God wants us to see. 
Consider.
And the one sitting on the throne said, “Look, I am making everything new!” And then he said to me, “Write this down, for what I tell you is trustworthy and true.” And he also said, “It is finished! I am the Alpha and the Omega—the Beginning and the End. To all who are thirsty I will give freely from the springs of the water of life. All who are victorious will inherit all these blessings, and I will be their God, and they will be my children. (Revelations 21:5-7, NLT)

John, who wrote Revelations, gained a new perspective of the presence and power of Christ in heaven and on earth.  It must have changed the way he thought and acted the rest of his life. When I begin the day with the same perspective, I have complete confidence in Christ who is in me, with no reason to have fear, discouragement, or anxiety.
So.  I need to go to the place found in Revelations:
“Look, I am making everything new!”
  • When we develop the perspective that in Christ--the old is gone, the new has come--we see more than what is seen in the moment, enabling us to respond with anticipation rather than dread.  

"It is finished!"
  • Regardless of the intensity of the battles we face, it's all finished.  Christ's work on the cross removed the power of each and every battle; this changes how we approach the battles, enabling us to face all things with strength and courage rather than worry and stress.  And, we need to remember some battles are not worth our attention, while others must be dealt with but not stressed over.   
"I am the Alpha and the Omega—the Beginning and the End."
  • Life changes when we trust Christ to be the initiator and finisher of the day; however, worry and stress indicate we feel everything rests on us.  
 "To all who are thirsty I will give freely from the springs of the water of life."
  • If, we want life through Christ, then, He will give it to us freely.  Life in Christ releases us from what holds us bondage, freeing us to live with the purpose, passion, and energy of Life. 
"All who are victorious will inherit all these blessings, and I will be their God, and they will be my children."
  • The battles have been won, the blessings are ours to have in Christ.  
Look again.
Change your perspective by seeing through Christ.
Respond to life with eyes of faith.

Learning to Kickstart the day climbing upward to gain a new perspective,
Kerrie

(written by Kerrie Carlisle Palmer © 2011 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED)