A Higher Perspective

Most days, my perspective is so small! In my daily world, my routine is much the same day after day. I am a "stay-at-home mom", home schooling my son, and launching my other son out into the world of high school and beyond. My days are consumed with trying to maintain my suburban "country" home and keeping everyone's schedule and needs "on track". It seems like my house will never be clean enough, my children will never become mature, responsible citizens and committed Christians, the daily struggle to do enough, have enough, etc. will never end.

I look at the bigger world around me and I am overwhelmed at the pain, the suffering, the destitution, the corruption, and on and on. It's huge, and I feel so small. I want so much to be part of an answer to alleviate the suffering of others, but how do I do that? My resources are very limited - we "get by" - but that's all; I don't have much to give or share. I don't have the education or skills or professional experience to make a difference in anyone's life. I can't even "go" and work elsewhere - I have children at home and I need to be here. The needs in the world are huge! How can any of us ever "make it better"?? How can the pain and suffering ever be ended?

And then, I look at the birds. How huge the world must look to them when they are in a nest, or feeding on the ground! How little they can see from there! But when they take to flight and they rise up and soar on the wind, they are not only free from the restrictions of being "grounded", but their perspective is so much bigger! Imagine how little everything looks from up there! All the activity on the ground must look "silly" to them - like ants scurrying around trying to carry huge loads and plug them into tiny holes.

When the world seems overwhelming, I need to "look to the birds of the air". I need to get God's perspective. He is so aware of the pain and the suffering, He hears every cry and every whisper for help ... every need ... every one ... everywhere ... all at once and He is not overwhelmed. He is not restricted or limited in His desire or ability to care for all of His creation! He is not so far removed that He doesn't know what's going on, or how much people are suffering. He is not "above" experiencing the pain of our human existence - Jesus suffered every imaginable pain in His human experience. He knows! He cares! And only He is big enough to be the answer!

Does that mean that we shouldn't be doing anything to help others? No. What it means is that we need to give up thinking that any one person, group, or government is the answer, or has the answer. We need to realize the limitations of our perspective and understanding. We need to ask God to give us His perspective! We need to have confidence that He is in control. We need to know where we fit into the larger picture. We need to have the humility that comes from knowing that we are only a "piece" and we must fit into the larger picture by accepting and working with all the other "pieces" that touch our life and experience. We need to find joy in just being a "piece" and not having to be the whole picture - or even see/understand the whole picture. We need to rest in Him.

Are you overwhelmed today? I pray that He will lift you up and let you "soar" on wings of eagles - far above everything - until you can see as He sees!

~ Jan