Perspective is a big part of life. It's a big part of photography obviously too. Photography just channels your perspective to see what the artist wants you to see. It's an endless game of finding the right height or twist of the camera to get an image just right. People spend fortunes learning how to see life through a camera. I know I have.
But today I was thinking back to a time in my life when my perspective was way messed up. A time when I thought that the way I was was the way I was going to be for the rest of my life. I had some deep habits that I really didn't like and I couldn't kick. And it left me more and more unhappy with myself everyday. I had deep agreements that I made with the enemy about myself, lies that I believed must be true about myself. Just like this image, my perspective of life and the freedom I have in Christ looked okay, but in reality I was totally upside down.
From the outside you might think I was a pretty good guy living life a step better than everyone else. Or that's how I hoped everyone was seeing me. But on the inside I knew it wasn't true. But I couldn't find the truth because of my deep-seated pride. I was "doing okay!" At least that is what I thought from time to time. I figured I would get things staightened out on my own or learn to live with the way I was living life and be happy with it since there was obviously no other choices. I was bound by sin and pride. Changing was out of the question.
Through a series of events God was merciful enough to me to allow my habits to be exposed to some of the people I held dearest. I broke their hearts. It was then I was left with nothing but to find truth. My perspective was so wrong. I couldn't see things right. Something inside me screamed it was over and there was no point in going on and to just give up trying. I could never change. But there was a small voice that said, "The only way out is to find truth and and the only way to find truth would be to humble myself." And no matter what I was to submit to the authority of my parents. That was hard. I knew at this point the only thing I had left in this world was my God. I realized that my life was not my own anyways. I was living as if I could make all the final decisions, and I needed to give that authority to my heavenly Father.
In my quest for truth I found the Psalms really spoke into the place where I was. One of the scriptures I really hung on to for strength was Psalm 30. The whole chapter is chuck full of what I needed for where I was at that time, but these verses especially meant the most and gave me right perspective.
and to the Lord I plead for mercy:
“What profit is there in my death,
Will the dust praise you?
Will it tell of your faithfulness?
Hear, O Lord, and be merciful to me!
You have turned for me my mourning into dancing;
you have loosed my sackcloth
and clothed me with gladness,
that my glory may sing your praise and not be silent.
O Lord my God, I will give thanks to you forever!"
God's ways are not our ways. His thoughts are not our thoughts. And as upside-down as our perspectives can get sometimes, God wants to see each and every one of us turn to him and live in his strength and freedom.
"You make known to me the path of life; in your presence there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore."
It's time to confess and forsake these false joys of our hearts that leave us feeling empty and dirty and turn to the one who promises "fullness of joy" in his presence and true "pleasure" at his right hand.
Draw close to him and he will draw close to you. That is also promised in the Psalms. If you haven't ever read that book of the Bible or it's been a long time since you last did I would challenge you to go there with any questions you might have and see what Father answers you there. I can't wait to hear what he shows you.
Praise God that he is a Father of mercy and second and third chances.
Resources I found helpful:
The ultimate source of truth. I memorized a lot of it because I had to change my perspectives and thinking patterns.
This book did more to chalenge me and the way I saw myself before God than I think any other book. It explains what I meant by "agreements" with the enemy and lies we believe about ourselves. I highly recommend this book to people of all ages.
This is a book about Dr. Gary Smalley working through some hard times himself and it really encouraged me to build some practical disciplines into my own life.
Signing off for today. God bless your socks off,
Capture. Create. Discover.
