2001-06-30 - There Is An Answer

Encore from 99-10-08

I was walking through the yard with our Brittany Spaniel, Pierre, when I spotted a cat nearby. When I was several yards away, I could see the cat clearly, but because of a privacy fence, the closer I moved, the blurrier was my view of the cat. I thought, "That's how we are about situations in our lives. Sometimes when we are in the middle of something, we lose our perspective, and we need to try to step back and see it from afar." We become focused on a detail or we feel "stuck" and cannot see our way out. What are some steps we can take in difficult situations, to retain or recover our perspective?

First, we can pray. God wants to give us wisdom. Sometimes we have this idea that He make things cryptic, but in actuality His word says that He is generous with His wisdom.

James 1:5 (NNAS) But if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all generously and without reproach, and it will be given to him.

In addition, it is often a wise idea to bounce thoughts or ideas off a mature Christian friend.

Prov 15:22-23 (NNAS) Without consultation, plans are frustrated, But with many counselors they succeed. A man has joy in an apt answer, And how delightful is a timely word!

Have you ever noticed that it can be easier to solve the problem of a friend, than one of your own? We sometimes are too close to a situation to see it clearly. A third step that has at times helped me, is to think: "What would I say to someone else in this situation?" Sometimes asking ourselves that simple question will bring a surprisingly clear answer.

A fourth and vital step: I have said in previous devotionals, that if we ask God to help us view people (especially "difficult ones") through His eyes, it can revolutionize relationships. This principle applies to decisions and stressful situations also.

The next time you feel hopeless, or you simply cannot seem to find an answer with which you are at peace, I hope you will pray for God's wisdom and perspective, ask Christian friends for advice, and think about it "from the outside."

Jan

 cfdevcfpray@yahoo.com
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