One Key Element to Changing Your Perspective

It is amazing how even the slightest change in how we are viewing something can completely transform our perspective. Take for example a visit to the eye doctor. Maybe you have had headaches or trouble seeing distances or experienced blurred vision. The doctor will take you through a series of lenses asking which provides the clearest view. A or B? B or C? Over and over again.  It can be a tedious, but the doctor will keep working until they feel confident they have found the correct prescription. Why? Because they know even the slightest variance will prevent you from seeing properly. Once this process is complete, you will be issued new glasses or contact lenses. And when the prescription is correct the headaches, trouble seeing, and blurred vision will go away.

Recently, I was experiencing some spiritual blurriness. I was looking at my calendar for the upcoming season and feeling increasing anxiety. Some of it was feeling incompetent, some was feeling over-committed, and some was it was just plain negativity. Like the times when I need to visit the eye doctor for new lenses, I needed a new perspective for viewing my future.

In 2 Corinthians, Paul is talking to a church who was struggling with seeing things correctly. He describes their struggle this way, “You are looking at things as they are outwardly.” (2 Corinthians 10:7 NASB) Their problem was traced back to one key thing – they were only looking at the externals. They were missing God’s perspective. In order to overcome this problem, they needed to adjust their perspective. Paul gave them some advice on he how personally wrestled through this: “We are destroying speculations and every lofty thing raised up against the knowledge of God, and we are taking every thought captive to the obedience of Christ.” (2 Corinthians 10:5)

I knew that this negative thinking clouding my vision needed to be removed. I knew I should take it captive and replace it with God’s thoughts. The only problem was I didn’t know how to change my viewpoint. I felt stuck and overwhelmed. I was discouraged and instead of anticipating the future I was dreading the full schedule and many commitments.

Then God showed me the core of my frustrations. They could all be summed up in one word – ingratitude. The truth is the things on my calendar are good things. Things I had asked God for. The truth is every day is full of gifts and blessings; I had just forgotten to look for them.

From my pile of books waiting to be read, I had picked up a devotion by Ann Voskamp based on her book One Thousand Gifts. Ann shares her journey of being transformed by gratitude and challenges others to join her in this quest. Part of her challenge to the reader is to write a list of 1,000 blessings. I’ll be honest, I have read Ann’s book previously, thought it was very good, but didn’t take her challenge. This time I decided to try.

Day by day, as I look for the blessings of God and call them out, my perspective is changing. I have sensed the Spirit of God renewing my soul, changing my heart, and drawing me closer. During this time, God had shown me that the greatest of issues of my heart can usually be healed by the slightest change in my viewpoint. For me, intentionally looking for blessing and practicing gratitude has been transformational.

In Psalm 50:23 God gives us a beautiful promise, “He who offers a sacrifice of thanksgiving honors Me; and to him who orders his way aright I will show the salvation of God.” When we thank God, we bless God. When we bless God, it helps us order our lives. And when we order our lives according to God’s ways, God promises to reveal His glory in and through us.

If you are experiencing challenges with your spiritual vision – blurriness, lack of clarity, or even hurt and pain, I want to encourage you to change your perspective through thanksgiving and gratitude. God promises to change you as you praise Him.

“In everything give thanks; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” (I Thessalonians 5:18)