Living the New Year/Every Year with Perspective
So, how was your year? Did you have a good one, or just so-so? Was it filled with joys, or with sorrows, or was it just a good mix of both? Was it one of “blessing”, or did it seem more like you were cursed!? Are there regrets? Are there triumphs? Is there guilt? Sorrow? Is there confusion? When you look back, do you see a time when you wondered where God was during all that trouble? If so, don’t feel like you were alone, for all of us/mankind, due to our doubting, dead sinful flesh are quick to ask God (right after the “why”), “where are/were you?” We are by nature often quick to doubt our Lord’s care and concern for us. “He promised to care for me, to work everything to my good, then why did He let this happen?” No matter how strong our faith and trust in our Lord and His promises, we can doubt Him during some of the difficult “turns”/occasions on the road of our life.
A major part of the problem is that we have such a hard time seeing the big picture of life, that we are quick to ask why and doubt. It’s like the example we used before of the Father driving with a 4 year old in the back seat. Soon come the questions: “why are we slowing down”, “why did we stop” “why did you turn there” and of course “are we there yet?” The child asks because she can’t see what all was going on, couldn’t see the child crossing the street and the need to slow down, or the stop sign and the need to stop, or the intersection they needed to turn at or when the final destination was coming. The child couldn’t see over the dash-board, didn’t have the clear perspective to understand how her father was driving. But the driver did. He could see those hindrances/problems, dangers, and curves in the road, He knew and could see the final destination, where they were going, and the child needed to trust that.
Well we too are too “small” to see over the dashboard of life, aren’t able to see the big picture, for our vision is limited, and affected by sinful flesh as well. But our Driver can see all, and assure us that He is in control, that nothing happens to us, no curves, stops, changes in direction/problems occur without His knowledge and control -- that He will guide us and use all things to our eternal welfare and lead us to our final destination with Him in eternity. He wants us to trust Him, and do a lot less back seat driving!
As we enter into this new year, God grant us a bit more perspective and understanding that we might trust our Lord more and share that hope that is within us (and perspective) to those who are trapped in this dark and chaotic, near-sighted world around us.
Pastor
