Perception
I was watching a football game last week, (GO STEELERS) and it was time for a commercial.
As the program was preparing to go to the commercials, the cameras panned the outside of the stadium and continued to pan wider to view more of the city. As I was looking at the city, I was thinking of how small the buildings looked from my couch and how it almost looked like a toy city that someone has displayed in their home. As I was staring at my TV the word “perception” flashed in my mind.
I immediately went to God and was like, “What would you like for me to learn with this word, Father?”
I have learned over the years that perception matters. How one receives information and processes it matters. Have you ever come across someone who just finds the ugly in everything? They probably have a dull perception of the world. They are probably living a dark cold time in their lives and it may be hard for them to see joy anywhere.
Then there are some people who can’t see the negative in any situation. They always find the good in moments, even the really hard ones. I like to think that I am that person. But reality says different. Let’s be honest, I have had my moments.
All of this is rooted in our perception. Our outlook on life.
I try to see the good in most moments. Some people get super annoyed by it. Some people think I am living in a fantasy world. Just so you know, it hasn’t always been this way. I have been through some pretty crappy periods in life where I wasn’t sure which way was up or what my purpose was. To me my world looked broken.
I have learned, since growing my relationship with Christ, that as long as He is with me, I am not broken, my world is not broken, and I have joy.
Jesus says in John 15:11, “These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full.” Knowing that He spoke these words to us changed my perception. It changed how I thought. It changed how I handled situations. It even changed how I give advice.
I also learned that I had to have a moment to reflect on the hard times. I had to go back and change my perception to find the joy that was there. God loves me. He didn’t put me in the dark. He was with me through it all. I was the problem child, trying to navigate life with my eyes closed. With them closed, how could I possibly see the good that came with the bad?
Having that hard talk with myself and looking back at life is what helped me realize my story is a testimony and not a shameful dark period. I am thankful for Jesus’ words and His promises.
I am thankful that He gives us time to get it together.
If you’re going through a season where everything just seems to suck, it's okay. Sit down and talk to God and ask Him to help you see what He sees. I promise He will help you through it. No, he probably won’t give you all the answers, but He will help you. He’ll open your eyes so you aren’t feeling like you’re in the dark.
God’s Love and Mine,
Carrie
