Perspective

“Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God.”

- Colossians 3:2-3

As Christians, we have two vantage points of looking at our lives: the first is through our lense and the second is through God’s lense. In other words, we can choose to view life from an earthly perspective or from a heavenly perspective.

Have you ever looked inside one of the search-and-find Where’s Waldo? books? The earthly perspective is comparable to hyper-fixating on one element in the photo, whereas the heavenly perspective is looking at the big picture with many different things going on at once. If you are too focused on only one thing, then you end up missing out on all the other things that are happening.

The Earthly Perspective 

When we interpret life from an earthly perspective, we look at our physical circumstances without considering the spiritual realm or the bigger picture. With this view, we can easily become overwhelmed, act selfishly, and focus on things that ultimately have very little importance. 

Taking care of children is one of the best ways to recognize if you are seeing life from an earthly perspective. For example, when I used to be a nanny, I was wearing a new pair of pants. That day, the little girl wanted me to paint her nails and sure enough, she swiped her hand on me and got nail polish on my pants that never came off. It made me more upset than it should have; that’s because my eyes were focused on one small moment. If I could have zoomed out and saw this moment from God’s vantage point, it was actually very insignificant. Small accidents happen and life moves on. 

The Heavenly Perspective

When we interpret life from a heavenly perspective, we look at everything around us from a biblical and spiritual viewpoint. With this view, we can experience peace that surpasses our understanding, exercise our trust in God, and share God’s unconditional love toward others. We avoid hyper-fixating on one small element in life, not allowing it to make us stressed or worried. We hold things loosely, whether good or bad, because we know that our source of hope is not found in the material realm but is found in Jesus and the hope of His return.

How Do We Keep a Heavenly Perspective in the Good Times of Life?

When life is going well and the Lord is pouring out material blessings, it is easy to let our minds shift to an earthly viewpoint. We start getting comfortable and forget that there is still a spiritual realm and we are still in a spiritual battle. This is actually one of the most important seasons to remain heavenly-minded because it’s tempting to start “building our kingdom” on earth rather than remembering that our kingdom with Christ is heavenly. Philippians 3:20-21 says, “For our citizenship is in heaven, from which we also eagerly wait for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, who will transform our lowly body that it may be conformed to His glorious body, according to the working by which He is able even to subdue all things to Himself.” Jesus also reminds us in Matthew 6:19-20 to store up treasures in Heaven, not on earth where they will be destroyed.

While we are experiencing material blessings, we can keep Christ at the forefront by thanking Him and using His blessings to draw closer to Him and share the Gospel with others. 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 tells us to “rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” It is also important to hold onto Christ more tightly than the blessings He gives you and to remember that all good things are meant to point us to Him: James 1:17 says, “Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning.”

How Do We Keep a Heavenly Perspective in the Bad Times of Life?

Bad times in life encompass varying degrees – from not getting our way to dealing with chronic sicknesses. When it comes to the smaller things, like submitting our wants for someone else’s, we can keep a heavenly perspective by remembering that God’s will is that we love others. When we give up things that we want, we can trust that our loving Father will still take care of us.

When it comes to the larger sufferings in life, like dealing with sickness and stressors, we remember “that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose” (Romans 8:28).

Additionally, James 1:2-4 gives us the proper perspective to have with our sufferings: “Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.”

Jesus, having a heavenly perspective, was able to endure mocking and the shame of the cross because He knew it was going to accomplish the will of God. If He had an earthly perspective, Jesus could have started defending Himself and stopped His crucifixion. Instead, He submitted to pain in the earthly realm for victory in the heavenly realm. This was so that you can have the option to believe in Him and have the confidence that heaven is your home.

If you haven’t yet put your faith in Jesus alone for eternal life, today is the day. You can be absolutely confident that heaven is your home by believing that Jesus died for your sins on the cross and He rose again to conquer sin and death. All He wants is that you choose to believe that He paid for your salvation and there is nothing you can add to it. He doesn’t demand you to “get your life together” or “be a good person” to be saved. Yes, He wants to change you, but it starts with being saved by Him first. Do you believe?

Take a Moment:

I’ve listed a 5-day “challenge” for you this week to apply the message from this devotional. 

Day 1: Reflect — Consider how your life would change if you saw every moment in your life with a heavenly perspective. How would that change the way you…

…treat your children?

…react in unfair situations? 

…deal with stressors?

…receive blessings from the Lord?

…make decisions?

Day 2: Read and Meditate —

• Isaiah 55:8-9 — “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.”

• 2 Corinthians 4:18 — “As we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal.”

• 1 Timothy 6:6-8 — “But godliness with contentment is great gain, for we brought nothing into the world, and we cannot take anything out of the world. But if we have food and clothing, with these we will be content.”

• Philippians 4:11-13 — “Not that I am speaking of being in need, for I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content. I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound. In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need. I can do all things through him who strengthens me.”

• Matthew 6:33 — “But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things [your needs] will be added to you.”

Day 3: Pray — Start by thanking God for everything He has given you. Then, ask Him to reveal areas of your life where you have been too earthly-minded instead of heavenly-minded.

Day 4: Worship — Praise God today that your home is with Him and you can have confidence of that! Here are two songs to praise the Lord with: “Turn Your Eyes” by Sovereign Grace Music and “Heaven is My Home” by Highlands Worship.

Day 5: Act — Choose today to be aware of your actions throughout the day. Take note of decisions and choices that stemmed from an earthly perspective and how you can react differently in the future.

Choosing the heavenly perspective is what it means to live by faith.

-Alina