A New Hope Smakprov

ZOOMING OUT

Proverbs 29:18 tell us that without vision, people perish. This was God's first revelation in my wrestling singleness season. The biblical meaning of perish is to let go, let loose, or show a lack of restraint. How easy is it to perish and rebel when in an emotional state of despair?

In my season of wrestling, God gave me a new perspective. He showed me that the timeline of life, which has a very clear beginning and end, is a mere "dot" on the timeline of eternity with no beginning or end. When we right-size our time here on earth in the context of eternal life, it is nothing in comparison. Yet our time here on earth can "feel" like an eternity, especially when wrestling with deferred hopes. Looking at our life on earth through a zooming-out lens begins to right-size our perspective of day-to-day wrestles. The emotions and frustrations you are wrestling with today are a dot inside the dot on the line of eternity. Talk about right-sizing our wrestles.

The truth is that we were not created just for the space between our birth and our death. We were created for eternal life. Colossians 3:1-4 instructs us to think about the things of heaven, not the things of earth. 2 Corinthians 4:16-17 reminds us to fix our eyes on what is unseen, which is eternal, instead of what is seen, which is temporary.

I think many of us have lost sight of the eternal perspective.

We have become too focused on “worldly hopes” instead of “kingdom hopes." We have become side-tracked with investing in “worldly riches” instead of “kingdom treasures.” Matt 6:19-20 warns us not to store treasures here on earth where moths and rust destroy them and where thieves can break in and steal.

I believe God wants us to zoom out and hold onto the bigger picture. When we do this, it right-sizes our perspective of the here and now. It’s kind of like camping. For those who can’t stand camping, the only comfort one can take from camping is knowing that this is only for a week, and then you are back in the comfort of your bed. This perspective allows us to persevere through the discomforts of camping life. So set your mind to the things above. Ask God to give you clarity on the bigger picture. As you grow in this understanding, it will help you get clarity on how to live effectively day by day. In tomorrow's reading, we will zoom back in to look at what that means practically.

REFLECTIVE QUESTIONS:

• In what areas of your life have you become narrow-visioned and fixated on a worldly result?
• In what way will an eternal perspective change the way you process your daily wrestles?
• What eternal treasures do you feel God wants you to invest in?

PRAY:

Lord, today I choose to fix my eyes on things above; help me see my life through your eternal eyes and from your kingdom perspective. Please give me the courage to zoom out and see what you see. I pray for wisdom in processing my daily struggles through your lens.