Unfolding Perspective

I had a hard day with one of my children.  As I was out this afternoon, I reflected on the events that unfolded and was made to realize that we each have our own perspective.  This child of mine was having difficulty with math.  I had been trying to explain it, but the explanation wasn't clear enough to pass along any understanding.  Of course the topic was somewhat beyond my comprehension because I never fully understood it when I was in school.  How can I expect my child to grasp a concept I never did?  Anyhow, I thought about how God "gets it."  He knows each and every one of us personally, from the inside out.  He knows how we think, how we tick, what aggravates us, and what things we have trouble understanding.  He can see our perspective; He understands.

People often feel guilty when they share a difficulty in their lives when that difficulty isn't as bad as that of their neighbor.  Maybe a job was lost or you are having a hard time with your kids and you have a friend who just found out they have cancer or a parent of theirs died.  There will always be someone with a situation worse than ours.  A day may come when ours is the more difficult situation, but it is perspective.  No matter what we are dealing with we are being tested.  How will you handle your difficulty?  Who can you turn to and trust to comfort you and help you through the difficulty?  God gets it.  He doesn't give us what we can't handle.  Difficulties come into all of our lives.  It is perspective.

Think about when you are driving somewhere, and a car is tailing you.  Obviously it isn't safe, but try to have a different perspective instead of getting angry.  (I'm speaking to myself as well.)  Maybe the person behind you is rushing home from work to take care of their sick child.  Maybe they are late for work.  Again, I am not excusing tailgating, but maybe if we are able to pull over and let them pass we will gain a new perspective and be a little less irritated.

When listening to the news and hearing about all the evil in this world, instead of getting depressed, try to have God's perspective.  This world is only temporary.  It will eventually cease to exist.  God will create a new heaven and a new earth where all will be perfect.  He already knows what will happen in life, when, and how.  The better we know Him, the easier it is to face life's difficulties.  The more we have his perspective on things, the more joy we will have in trials (not because of trials).

Next time I have a hard time with one of my children, I hope I change my perspective to that of God.  My children are gifts He has given to me.  They have a purpose which God has instilled in their lives.  I hope I can also change my perspective to that of my children as well.  What are they dealing with?  What is going on in their hearts and minds that makes the situation seem so difficult?  If I try to change my perspective, I will hopefully be a lot more understanding and empathetic to everybody around me.