A Matter of Perspective

Perspective...the way we look at things; the angle we take.

When in your life has your perspective on a situation determined its outcome?

Recently, I've been struggling with some emotional/spiritual issues. I have, I guess, lived long enough for there to be a sort of convergence of ancient history and current events, leaving me in a conundrum. What to do? How to resolve the inner conflict that this convergence has produced.

As I was considering my options, spending a significant amount of time in prayer and journaling attempting to understand what God was trying to show me, I discovered a new perspective. God was speaking to me in a different way about this, making me do the heavy lifting, figuring I was mature enough to do so I guess.

I had been repeatedly coming at the situation from the same angle, the same intent. Yet, as God is wont to do, God waited for me to stop, look, and listen. I had to stop thinking I could figure this out, only giving a cursory nod to God. I had to look at ALL of the possibilities for resolution that were arranging themselves around me. I had to finally, truly listen. Listen to those around me whom I trust, whom I have experienced to be conduits of God's grace into my life.

A new perspective was shown to me; a perspective full of God's grace and mercy, offering forgiveness for long-passed sins and misunderstandings; a perspective that allowed me to move forward confident of God's steadfast love for me; a perspective that allowed me to fully see and appreciate the variety of folks God has put in my life (and I in their's). Gratitude swelled (as well as a little embarrassment) for the simplicity of the solution.

Have you ever noticed that God's solutions are never complicated? In our humanity we tend to create elaborate solutions to satisfy our own needs to feel important or intelligent. I believe realizing that the simplicity of a solution reflects God in the process was one of the most important insights I've had lately. Certainly one which has changed my general attitude to problem solving.