Relationship dynamics are tricky, and the only perspective we have is our own. We often want a quick fix, everyone to like us, our family members to respect us, and people to just be good humans that do what they say they will do and communicate kindly and promptly. If you can relate, then read to the end.
What if we can have another PERSPECTIVE than our own, though? I always thought that if I led by example, treated others as I wanted to be treated, and was kind to everyone, that good things would come back around. Sometimes they did, and sometimes they didn’t. Honestly, it seemed pretty random.
Not easily discouraged, I kept trying. I told myself that it might have to be enough to be rewarded in heaven, because I couldn’t act counter to who I was and what I believed. I kept putting in the work, checking all the boxes, and dragging myself out of bed to show up with a forced smile on my face.
In all that “doing the right thing” process, I lost hope. I lost sight that I could have a higher perspective, because all that I could see was the world from my perspective. The world looked pretty unfair, oppressing, fake, discouraging, abusive, and harsh. It looked to me like evil was winning and there was no hope that any amount of good that I could pour into my marriage would go any other way.
When evil and hopelessness nearly took over and consumed my perspective of the world and I was at the point of giving up, I wanted death to take away my horrible reality of a life that I didn’t want to be a part of anymore. Nothing else could numb my pain anymore, and I didn’t know a single thing to try that I hadn’t already.
I WAS DEAD ALREADY. That was the thought that I had that would change everything, and I didn’t even know it at that time. You see, when you’re dead, your perspective is nothingness, or dirt, or hell, or who knows what. My perspective wasn’t even my children, my husband, my job, my house, my friends, or anything. My perspective suddenly wasn’t one of pain, fairness, being a good person, going to church, earning money, or anything at all. I WAS DEAD ALREADY.
When I finally had NO HOPE, NO PLAN, and no desire to live another day like I had been, Jesus showed up. JESUS, talking through another precious and chosen human, started speaking life into me that day. One day at a time, Jesus held my hand and guided me out of the darkness, out of my lifelong wilderness.
He willingly gave me HIS PERSPECTIVE on the world, and it’s beautiful!! He shifted my mindset on all that I thought I knew about Christianity and all that I thought I knew about him.
If your perspective is one of wanting people to be good, but seeing only hopelessness, frustration, or confusion about why the world is the way that it is, then this post is for you. Here’s the challenge…. first understand that many things are not what they have seemed to be for your whole life, and it’s not your fault that you were taught about people in ways that spoiled your childlike zest to live fully and freely, and exuding joy. Next, die to yourself. Throw out everything you knew and start afresh with the Bible as your guide. Imagine it like dumping out the toy box of your mind and only putting back in what truly belongs there. Take your time, don’t rush it, and don’t skip a day. If you get busy and forget, or let distractions get in your way, just say, “Hey, Jesus, I’m really sorry. Please help me sort through this junk and show me what belongs in my life and what doesn’t.”
Ask him to show you the value of things that you already have through his eyes, and I promise that a new perspective is on its way!
(Image by Daga_Roszkowska from Pixabay, Message by Steph from identityfromjesus.com)