Perspective Lifters (Rev. Larry Davies)

My wife Mell and I were having one of those days.

Nothing seemed to go right. It started with a trash can lid disappearing after the pick-up. The company said another one would be delivered in about a week. A week? Where do we put the trash? Every hour afterward seemed to bring more bad news: numerous phone calls with churches and pastors having problems, a minor accident — all small issues by themselves but cumulatively, it was amounting to a disappointing, tiring, frustrating, exasperating … very, very bad day.

The next morning, Mell and I read the following devotion from the book: Jesus Calling by Sarah Young.

The first sentence: “Welcome problems as perspective lifters.”

We started laughing and couldn’t stop. Talk about a heavenly prompting from God. After we regained our composure we continued reading:

“My children tend to sleepwalk through their days until they bump into an obstacle that stymies them. If you encounter a problem with no immediate solution, your response to that situation will take you either up or down. You can lash out at the difficulty, resenting it and feeling sorry for yourself. This will take you down into a pit of self-pity.”

It’s not unusual to have bad days. Some are worse than others but we all have them.

What is important:

• How do we handle ourselves in the midst of difficulties?
• Can we avoid the pit of self-pity?
• Are we able to maintain perspective?
• Can we visualize God in the midst of the problems alongside us?

“Welcome problems as perspective lifters.”

The devotion continued: “Alternatively, the problem can be a ladder, enabling you to climb up and see your life from My perspective. Viewed from above, the obstacle that frustrated you is only a light and momentary trouble. Once your perspective has been heightened, you can look away from the problem altogether.”

The problems we face can either weigh us down or they can serve as a ladder giving us a higher perspective.

• What can we learn?
• Where is God?
• How can we better appreciate our good days?

“Welcome problems as perspective lifters.”

The devotion concluded with: “Turn toward Me and see the Light of My Presence shining upon you.”

Can we see God in the midst of our very, very bad days?

The Apostle Paul said in 2 Corinthians: “Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we can fix our eyes not on what is seen but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary but what is unseen is eternal.”

“Welcome problems as perspective lifters.”

This morning, I learned to laugh in the midst of my obstacles and struggles. More importantly, I learned that God is well aware of what I am going through and has provided comfort to see me through.

Therefore, I do not lose heart. I may be outwardly struggling but inwardly I am being renewed.

My light and momentary troubles are helping me to achieve an eternal glory.

So, today, I will fix my eyes not on what is seen but what is unseen. Today, I will fix my eyes on Jesus and trust that even in the midst of my bad days, I am being renewed.

“Welcome problems as perspective lifters.”

Thank you, God for helping me have a heavenly perspective in the midst of difficulties. Thank you for allowing me to focus on what is really important.

Thank you for a perspective lifter and for giving me a chance to laugh. Amen.

About Larry Davies

Larry Davies is currently the Lynchburg, Virginia District Superintendent for 89 United Methodist Churches. He has been the pastor of small, medium, and large churches. For many years, Larry managed and trained sales people in the automobile business. He is also the author of Live the Light: Five Weeks to a Light that Shines and three other books. Larry is the founder of Sowing Seeds of Faith, a worldwide prayer ministry and writing ministry, www.SowingSeedsofFaith.com. His columns and blog posts appear in several newspapers, magazines, and websites. Larry is a graduate of Virginia Tech and received his Master of Divinity at Duke University. Mell, Larry’s wife, recently retired from Concord Elementary School. Larry has two children and two grandchildren and a lively but older Springer Spaniel named Daisy.