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As we wrap up 2021, I felt a nudge to remember the long game.  We are not the sum of this year or next. We are all works in progress, ongoing until we enter eternity.

It’s easy to see things one way, when reality might be another.  An experience with my daughter is a perfect example.  We were struggling with Math.  My struggle was to help her. Her struggle was making sense of everything.  In the height of frustration, I placed four fingers under the edge of a full bowl of cereal and flipped it in the air.  The milk and contents poured out everywhere.  A soggy mess of shame and guilt covered both of us from head-to-toe.  I had immediate regret for acting out in my anger and I could see it caused my daughter to withdraw in hurt.  After reaching out to my sister, she gave me a safe space to confess my sin and reminded me it was my 1% of parenting and there’s still 99% good.  This moved me back to my daughter to ask for forgiveness and explore a new way for us to work through the challenges of Math.  My sister’s reminder helped me stay on track for the long game, rather than sabotage the years ahead with my mistake.  It shifted my perspective.

Perspective is so powerful in shaping our ability to keep moving forward.  As John Lubbock said:  “What we see depends on what we look for.”

Let’s explore perspective.  How many logs do you see here?

Depending on the position we are looking from, we can see three of four.  God uniquely designed us to see from different perspectives.  This is why judgement of ourself and others is so detrimental.  I recently wrote more about this here.  Seeing from another person’s perspective helps us understand things in a different light.  Sometimes things appear to be big, but in the big picture, it is actually something small.

So, whatever this year has been for you – good or bad, this is an invitation to focus on the PRIZE set before us – eternity!  Here’s a prayer for all of us to see what God sees in ourself and others.  We are the kind who finish the race well – we don’t shrink back.

I pray that the eyes of our heart may be enlightened in order that we may know the hope to which he has called us, the riches of his glorious inheritance in his holy people, and his incomparably great power for us who believe. Eph. 1:18-19 NIV

Dear heavenly Father, open the eyes of our heart. Heal our vision.  We want to see things from Your perspective. Things are not as they appear to the natural eye. You are working in all things all the time, for Your glory and our good. Father, we want to see in the many dimensions You see!  We invite Your Holy Spirit to work in our hearts.  As Your beloved children, we want greater freedom and ring in 2022 with a new view from YOU!!!