Perspective
Oh, the power of perspective!
How many times have we quoted "The rain falls on the just and the unjust" when something bad happens?
But ask a farmer how they feel about the rain... a farmer knows rain is necessary to grow crops and produce a harvest.
NECESSARY.
Ask a who's never grown a plant in their life the same question and they'll see less value in rain, seeing it more as an annoyance to be avoided or endured.
Most likely they'll tend to prefer sunny days that don't encroach upon their own comforts or change their sunny day plans.
Perspective.
JOB pitifully asked: Why am I suffering for a sin I did not commit?
Job's FRIENDS asked: Why else would you be suffering so much if you are so innocent?
But GOD answered no one's question and instead asked one of His own:
"You cannot understand or control the things you can see... why would you presume to understand or try to control things too big for you to comprehend?"
God reminded all of them, and us, that there is a perspective we don't always have access to:
His.
We are so susceptible to fear and anxiety when we view life through the lens of our own earthly experiences!
But how can we have a Heavenly perspective while here on earth?
By spending time with the One that sees all, knows all, in fact created all.
By subjecting every earthly experience to the microscope of truth... HIS truth. What does HE say about what I'm going through?
What does He promise as a harvest to the rain in my life?
Either I'll look for, like a good farmer, the harvest I know is due to come in its season, or I'll shake my fist at the sky for all my ruined plans and lost comfort of sunny days.
Perspective.
Last month I was a part of a wonderful ladies' conference in another state. And there were the obvious questions about the safety of the women, given this current climate regarding a virus.
From the very beginning I heard a question in my spirit: “Are you willing to bear the reproach?”
And I had to examine what it meant to bear the reproach of carrying His Gospel. Do I only carry His word when there is zero risk to myself?
Most of us would say "of course not"! Isn't the Kingdom built upon the backs of men and women who were willing to suffer and die for the cause of Christ?
Would we not willingly do the same, whether the method is gallows, gun, or covid??? I think most Christians would give a resounding yes to that one.
But this year has forced a question upon American churches that most western Christians never face head-on: What about when others are at risk???
A lot of division in the church has happened based on where you stand with that one question.
I'm just giving you MY perspective, which is best explained through the words of some of the ladies that attended that conference last month:
Some were very upset with us when it was discovered that they had been exposed to covid. I won’t repeat their words, but suffice it to say, we bore some reproach.
But more than one woman let us know that they were very, very thankful we had a conference on how to *fight fear* (the conference theme) when we did.
They said that revival is what gave them the tools to get through being sick with covid and all of the thoughts and fears that came along with it.
Recently a group of scientists proposed that anywhere from 75%-80% of anxiety stems from an avoidance of pain: avoiding painful conversations, painful situations, physical pain, emotional pain... the list goes on.
The rain is going to come, guys. There are no perfect, rain-less lives on this
earth. Heaven alone promises us sunny, cloudless days.
So, you can spend your whole life hiding from the rain, or you can focus on preparing for rainy days.
Spend time with Jesus.
Get to know the Prince of Peace.
Don't just read Him... see like Him!
Amy
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