It’s All about Perspective

God’s word changes us no matter how life has shaped us.

You can listen to today’s devotion by clicking on this SoundCloud link.

“The rain and snow come down from the heavens
and stay on the ground to water the earth.
They cause the grain to grow,
producing seed for the farmer and bread for the hungry.
It is the same with my word.
I send it out, and it always produces fruit.
It will accomplish all I want it to,
and it will prosper everywhere I send it.”

Isaiah 55:10-11 New Living Translation

The angle of this window affects the view of the landscape behind it. Square the window or move it to the left the perspective of the deteriorated shed and the mountains changes. The clouds would seem slightly different. Would this be a monumental change to the picture? No, but we would see something slightly different.

Mary Murphy Mine, Colorado

Mary Murphy Mine, Colorado

Think of your life as the frame around this mountain view.

You are shaped by your experiences and see the world through those experiences, even though you’re probably not aware of this dynamic. The joys, the scars, and the mundane experiences of your life have a way of shaping your perspective of life and your perspective of what God is doing in your life.

In yesterday’s blog I wrote about the enduring word of God. We are transient but God’s word last forever. Like the mountains in the background, God’s word remains long after we’re gone. However, the events of life have a way of affecting how we see this eternal word of God.

  • Our family experiences shape how we see the word of God.
  • Our choices shape how we see the word of God.
  • Our satisfaction or dissatisfaction with life shapes the way we see the word of God.

Yet, the word of God never changes. The position of the window does not affect the mountains, just how we see those mountains. So also, God’s word is not affected by the window through which we see that word.

Since the God’s word doesn’t change it has a way of changing our perspective. In other words, the view shapes the window. That’s where this picture differs from our lives. The mountains will never square the window, yet the eternal word of God will change our perspective. The word of forgiveness, the word of comfort, and the word of hope will change our lives.

That’s the promise of Isaiah. God’s word will accomplish everything he wants it do in our lives.

Copyright Douglas P Brauner

About Douglas Brauner

I'm a retired pastor, blogger, and photographer. (Oh, and did I mention husband and father?) I encourage people who wrestle with life to focus on Christ so that they experience hope and joy on life's treadmill.