A CHANGED PERSPECTIVE
19th Feb 2020
Recently, I woke to a wet, windy, grey, chilly day - responsibilities crashed into my mind, and I felt flat and as dull as the day. So, what did I do? Approaching the shower, a verse of scripture penetrated my mind. “Though the fig tree does not blossom, and there be no fruit on the vine…..yet will I rejoice in the Lord!” (Habakkuk 3:17)
I started to inwardly thank Him for so many personal blessings, aware of His constant presence, provision and attentive ear; and I began to cheer up. I proceeded with my daily habit of reading the Bible and quietly waiting for a word from heaven to encourage me. I was in the process of reading, “Rejoice in the Lord always, and again I say rejoice” when my eye drifted further down the page to these words, “I’ve learned by now to be quite content whatever my circumstances. I’m just as happy with little as with much, with much as with little. I’ve found the recipe for being happy whether full or hungry.” (Philippians 4:11-12)
I shared this experience with a small group who pray before our church service and collectively we chose to rejoice and be thankful. We reflected on how the mind can be overloaded and feel we are experiencing “too heavy a load” or “no more headspace”. We then reminded ourselves of the scripture which commands us to “Rejoice”, but then repeats the same command “and again I say rejoice” with the sense of, don’t just hear it, do it!
So we rejoiced, thanked, prayed for those who possibly were feeling as I had earlier. As later we gathered with the rest of the people, we chose to rejoice in the Lord, had a wonderful worship time, great testimonies and the Holy Spirit’s encouragement to receive afresh God’s love and affirmation.
I came home totally different - the circumstances and the weather remained the same, but the perspective had changed, my spirits had been lifted and fresh hope released.
You can choose today to focus on negative circumstances, take on the “poor me”, or rejoice and be thankful. David expresses it like this in Psalm 42:5, “Why are you so downcast O my soul? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will praise him, my Saviour and my God.”
by Joyce Sibthorpe
