Devotional: 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.
I like to imagine a scene from the search-and-find book, Where’s Waldo. The earthly perspective is comparable to hyper-fixating on one element in the photo, whereas the heavenly perspective is seeing the big picture with many different things going on at once.
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 expensive pants. That day, the 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; this is 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 still a spiritual battle. This is one of the most important seasons to remain heavenly-minded. This comes by thanking Him and using the resources He blesses you with to draw closer to Him. It is important to hold onto Christ more tightly than the blessings He gives you. 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.”
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 cancer. When it comes to the smaller things, like submitting our wants for someone else’s, we can keep a heavenly perspective by remembering 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.
Take a moment: Do you focus more on heavenly things or earthly things?
We are faced with the choice every single moment to have one of the two perspectives. The need to choose won’t change, but our ability to choose one over the other becomes easier the more often we do it.
Consider how your life would change if you saw everything 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?
No matter what situation you find yourself in, remember that God’s will for you is to have joy by praying to Him and being thankful in all circumstances.
Here are other Scriptures to consider when you are struggling to keep a heavenly perspective:
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.”
Choosing the heavenly perspective is what it means to live by faith.
-Alina