It’s all in how you look at it

March 19, 2007

By Gary Rogers

Perspective is everything! Have you noticed any situation or circumstance can be viewed from a variety of perspectives?

Marriage can be seen from the perspective of being joined together in a commitment of love and affection with a lifetime best friend, or it can be seen as being bound in a relationship that restricts and limits your freedom.

Pregnancy can be seen as bringing new life into the world and being able to touch that life with love and shape that life for Jesus, or it can be seen as the dreaded obligation of raising another brat.

Death can be viewed as a doorway to eternal life with Christ, or it can be feared as entering the unknown realm of an inescapable eternal emptiness.

The loss of a job can be seen as an opportunity for the Lord to lead in a new and different direction, or it can be viewed as being a failure with limited abilities and resources and facing a bleak future.

Christianity can be seen as a wonderful, exciting, fulfilling life of love and devotion to Jesus in which you anticipate tomorrow, or it can be seen as a life of rules and regulations that makes life a burden.

Perspective is everything!

The great truth about perspective is it’s a matter of choice. We choose what perspective to see from. We can choose to see from the valley, dungeon, pit, ditch, hole or bottom. We can choose to look from the mountaintop, pinnacle, peak or top.

We elevate our perspective through our daily devotion time with Jesus. When we spend time with Jesus we can expect our perspective to change! Many times I have entered into my devotional time down, discouraged, confused, frustrated and even angry. After my meeting with the Master, He rubs off on me. Jesus influences my life toward a positive perspective. I crave a positive outlook and perspective on everything, but the only way I can maintain that is to spend time with the Master.

Jesus gives us this promise: “I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me” (Revelation 3:20, NKJV).

Jesus sees everything from the most elevated divine perspective. After time with Him my vision comes out of the valley, dungeon, pit, ditch, or hole I’m in and I gain victory over my discouragement, confusion, frustration and anger. This puts the smile back on my face, the bounce back in my step, and renews my anticipation for life.

Gary Rogers is senior pastor of First Assembly of God in Coweta, Okla.