Change of Perspective

Do you ever wonder why we go through hard times? The pain seems so unbearable that we feel like God has forgotten about us or is mad at us. What if we stop wondering why and just start accepting that things happen and we often won't know why. Instead, through it all we are able to trust God and find peace in Him and what the Bible says about Him. I love coming across verses in the Bible that talk about God's sovereignty and role in our lives. There are so many verses about trials in James and other books in the Bible. Recently, I found one that struck me for the first time.


2 Samuel - 14:14b God does not just sweep life away; instead he devises ways to bring us back when we have been separated from him. I love this one. Even when we have walked away from God, He is working things out to bring us closer to Him. He just doesn't say "forget them...too bad." He wants us to come back to Him. Don't we become closer to God through trials? I know I do.

There is a book I just LOVE called "Life Interrupted" by Priscilla Shirer. It gives a new perspective on the interruptions in life that give us trouble. When things go wrong or don't happen like we plan - it could be God turning us to another direction for an outcome we never even imagined. My life has been a series of interruptions, but I trust God has a reason for it all. Without these interruptions, things would be completely different and I might have missed out on the life God made me to live.

I also love songs that talk about this theme too - God being with us through all things and having a reason for things. Some of the songs that have been particularly meaningful are:

Laura Story - "Blessings"
Mandisa - "God Speaking" "He is with You"

A couple weeks ago, my pastor talked about King Jehoshaphat and the time when he faced a huge battle - one that was impossible to win - until God intervened and a miracle occurred. When faced with this life threatening situation, King Jehoshaphat began to praise God and worship Him. He turned his face towards God instead of bringing God to his problem. God doesn't need us to praise Him, but praising Him reminds us who He is and how powerful He is. This change of perspective can change us instantly. We may not know how our problem will get solved, but we know who will be helping us. God sees all and is with us through it all. Several times since hearing that message, I have been faced with something that has troubled me or scared me and I have able to follow the example of King Jehoshaphat and turn my worries into praise. Getting my focus on God and who He is, calms me down and gives me peace that everything will be ok. The solution is not my focus anymore - trusting God is.