Made To Move MountainsSýnishorn

Day 2

Perspective Changes Everything

Why does God allow trials in our lives? It’s a universal question and has been asked for ages. If God is powerful and good, why doesn’t he stop our pain and suffering? I don’t pretend to be smart or wise enough to answer a question that has perplexed and plagued generations. But I do believe the ultimate reason God allows trials is because they develop character in us. They push us to persevere, increasing our faith and restoring our hope. Our mountains glorify our heavenly Father.

Almost anything can be a mountain in our lives—difficult phases of parenting, challenges in our marriages, dreams, and disasters. As believers, we are promised trials and tests of our faith. It’s not a matter of if; it’s a matter of when. God refines us in the fire because he wants us to grow into mature Christians. God told the children of Israel that he put them in the fire so that he may “refine them as one refines silver, and test them as gold is tested” (Zechariah 13:9).

Can you see your mountain as a positive opportunity? Perspective is everything. Two people can look at the exact same problem: one can feel inspired and the other can feel overwhelmed. That is why it’s great to change places when we can or to put ourselves in another person’s shoes—the problem doesn’t change, but the way we see it does. We see either opportunities or obstacles.

Some days, we need to look behind us to see how many mountains we’ve already scaled. It’s too easy to forget that much of what we enjoy today is what we asked God for yesterday. When we reflect on what God has already done in our lives, our hearts, and our homes and we stop and praise him for it—our perspective changes everything.

God, help us to see what you make possible in the “impossible” trials of our lives. Help us to see the miraculous. Remove the scales from our eyes so we may see you clearly.