Jesus Should Disappoint you

When you survey both the secular and the Christian worlds, most can agree that there is much to be debated on what Jesus looked like. Every culture has a painting or portrayal of Jesus that looks like them, and even sometimes dresses like them. This is a historical norm that can be traced through the ages. Obviously there are typical cultural normalities that are involved in this, but we also know that this can impact harmful schools of thought, such as the “white Jesus narrative” in America (I realize there are probably even other cultural examples of this in other countries, but I am speaking from an American perspective) that have historically influenced many racially harmful theologies. The reality is we know where Jesus is from geographically, and we know that for most of us, Jesus didn’t look like us. If you live in Palestine, you may have an argument. But anyway, this blog post has nothing to do with what Jesus looked like, rather, it has everything to do with who He is, and how we internalize and live out who He is. Beyond the external debates, there are plenty of intense debates about the words of Jesus, the philosophies of Jesus, and the priorities of Jesus. There are whole theological systems, denominations, and church splits that are predicated on what Jesus actually said. For some people, the most important thing Jesus did was flip tables in righteous anger. For others, the most vital thing Jesus did was turn the other cheek. For some, the most important thing that Jesus said was to the woman caught in adultrey, when He said, “Go and sin no more”. For others, the most important thing He did was point out the sins of those confronting her. For some, the most important thing Jesus did was preach, and for others, the most important thing He did was heal, or wash feet. We all have our favorite action or word from the Life and person of Jesus if we are being honest.

Is this wrong?

Not necessarily. Different things resonate with people in unique ways. But where we enter dangerous waters is when we begin to treat Jesus as a selective word bank to fit our chosen narrative, rather than building our life on top of the Wholeness of who He is. The danger of this is that it causes us to detach ourselves from any of the teachings of Jesus that challenge the way we think. We become trained to follow our cravings for affirmation of self over a true submission to Christ and the Holiness He called us to throughout His life. This is not easy, because to be honest, it means that we lose our pride, and as a result, we lose our preferences. One of the passages in the Gospels that I tend to detach myself from too much is the story of the rich young ruler. I have always loved taking pride in how “not alike” I am to this man. But as we read it with fresh eyes, I believe Jesus has something to tell all of us as He converses with this young man.

“As Jesus started on his way, a man ran up to him and fell on his knees before him. “Good teacher,” he asked, “what must I do to inherit eternal life?”
“Why do you call me good?” Jesus answered. “No one is good—except God alone. You know the commandments: ‘You shall not murder, you shall not commit adultery, you shall not steal, you shall not give false testimony, you shall not defraud, honor your father and mother.’”
“Teacher,” he declared, “all these I have kept since I was a boy.”
Jesus looked at him and loved him. “One thing you lack,” he said. “Go, sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.”
At this the man’s face fell. He went away sad, because he had great wealth.
Jesus looked around and said to his disciples, “How hard it is for the rich to enter the kingdom of God!”
The disciples were amazed at his words. But Jesus said again, “Children, how hard it is to enter the kingdom of God! It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God.”
The disciples were even more amazed, and said to each other, “Who then can be saved?”
Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but not with God; all things are possible with God.”
Then Peter spoke up, “We have left everything to follow you!”
“Truly I tell you,” Jesus replied, “no one who has left home or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or fields for me and the gospel will fail to receive a hundred times as much in this present age: homes, brothers, sisters, mothers, children and fields—along with persecutions—and in the age to come eternal life. But many who are first will be last, and the last first.” Mark 10: 17-31 (NIV)

There is so much to this passage. I believe that when we read scripture, we should NEVER detach the intended audience from the words we read. The intended audience matters. This helps us both understand the intent of the words in the Bible, but it also helps us see where we can learn and become wiser through the Holy Spirit’s prompting. However, we can absolutely see ourselves in this rich young ruler. We all have pre-conceived notions on what it means for us to submit and surrender to Jesus, but only He can determine what that looks like. The rich young ruler was disappointed by the words of Jesus because he realized following Christ meant that his preferences had to take second place. In both Christian culture and secular culture, we see many examples of this. We see this littered through the focus on self care (Self care itself isn’t inherently bad) in the broad culture and a focus on theological battles in the church over things that don’t change or determine salvation. We see it in our tendency, both in the broader secular culture and in the Church, to seek power (political, familial, societal, organizational, etc.) and to freak out and grasp for straws when we feel as though it is slipping from our grip. But Jesus disappoints our preferences. Christ’s ultimate allegiance as a man on earth is to His Lord. His ultimate trust is in Him, and His Words reflect that. There is no coincidence in the fact that Jesus spends a large percentage of the Gospels discussing the “Kingdom of Heaven”, and the counter cultural ideals that are asked of us in order for us to reside in it. We see Him serve others humbly, speak truth to Power, care for the poor, forgive sins of those who had reputations as sinners (and lead them to repentance), and we see Him teach the religious leaders a new way and rail against the corruption in the temples.

Jesus was never meant to fit nicely around our worlds. He invites us into a new, and better one.

Something I challenge myself to do yearly, is to read through the Gospels, and to start my reading through the scriptures with them as the foundation. This does not neglect or diminish the rest of Scripture, rather it leads us to anchor our understanding of how we are supposed to operate in the world we live in through the life of Christ. What I find is that each time I open the Gospels, I am invited into a beautifully painful experience, where I am challenged to form my life around the Words of Jesus. This is not easy, and it is not meant to be. It is deep work. But it is the Holy work we are called to participate in. In the Old Testament timeline, we see a clear moment where the Israelites want a King. God allows them to have a King, although He knew how things would turn out. These kings were dominant and mighty men, yet even the very best ones had deep failures, and ultimately were never enough. They weren’t the Savior that Israel truly needed, even though they thought they knew what was needed. When Jesus is predicted and prophesied, and when He comes to earth as the Messiah; The King of Kings, and the Lord of Lords, God in the Flesh, I can only imagine that to see a man born in a stable, not having a roof over His head, and even coming from a place such as Bethlehem, was bizarre, disorienting, and even disappointing to the many who expected a mighty man with Gold Jewelry, and military dominance taking over. But the same difficulty we see today is the same difficulty that existed back then. We all have our idea of what a Savior should look like. Jesus turned expectations upside down.

Allow Jesus to disappoint you, and in turn, allow Him to make your life reflective of Himself.

May we, in this crazy world, live lives that are truly open to the words of Christ, even if they disappoint us.

The Forgotten Gifts of Socks and Silence

I have always found the most significant gift I have received during holidays or on birthdays to be the one I actually tend to think about less… socks. Socks never fail to be the greatest need I have. You see, I have giant feet. I wear size 14 shoes, so sometimes finding the right sized ankle socks is a struggle. In fact, it isn’t “a” struggle, rather it is “THE” struggle. What that ultimately means is that none of my socks last long because they are stretched out every time I wear them. So, on holidays when I get socks, I may not recognize the significance of that gift, but it ALWAYS comes in clutch and always turns out to be my very best gift. So yeah, this post is meant to ask for sock donations. That is it. That is the post. Period.

Obviously I wouldn’t come on here to talk about my need for socks (or maybe I would on second thought…). Socks and silence in my opinion are extremely related. They are the same gift. Silence is truly an underrated, not-attractive gift. Nobody goes viral by being silent. Nobody gets elected president or hired as CEO by being silent (Which may be part of the problem). When most people think through in their minds what success looks like, it usually does not include silence. However, it really should.

When the pandemic began back in March of 2020 I realized that I had a horrible relationship with silence. In fact, I resented it, and to be honest I discarded it like a sock on Christmas. Yeah, it is a practical need but it isn’t flashy. Plus, I have so much to do. I have so much going on. I don’t have time to be “silent”. I by no means ever want to indicate that the pandemic is good. It is horrible and COVID-19 has been so tragic, so please I hope this does not communicate any sort of insensitivity to the pain and the loss that so many have experienced. But the pandemic in many ways woke me up to my need for silence, and made me realize the incredible beauty of it.

Why is it that silence is so difficult to deal with? Honestly I think each of us could respond to this differently with our own reasons, but for me, it is fear. Fear of facing the emotions that I work so hard to avoid reckoning with, fear of being fully exposed and fully vulnerable to God with my doubts, insecurities, and needs. The gift of silence is that it brings me to a point of facing what is going on internally, processing it with zero distractions, and bringing it to God. When we choose to befriend this gift and face it, we may never just enjoy it, but we will grow in our self-awareness and in our closeness with God. Befriending silence doesn’t mean you always need to be alone; it means finding out what time of the day that you can be alone. It isn’t about isolation, rather intentional time for reflection. Jesus shows us the importance of taking these moments. In one of the examples of this, in Matthew chapter 14, Jesus goes up on a mountainside to pray, leaving behind everyone He was with to be alone. There, He reckoned with the act of dying for the world and all that it meant. He lamented to God and made Himself vulnerable. What a beautiful picture. Jesus is God. He didn’t have to do that, BUT he came to walk in our shoes, and take on all of our pain and all the things we were walking through. He showed us how to bring our worries to God; not through repression but through facing the silence and letting ourselves be uncomfortable and vulnerable before the One who made us and knows everything about us. As we live in a world that does not slow down, may we be people who choose to find moments where we can be silent. May we be people who become comfortable with a still soul.

There is no manual for this. There isn’t a 12 step ebook that can give you a game changing formula. You simply have to sit down, let distractions loose, and let God work in your heart. Prayerfully allow yourself to not dwell on the events of the day or the worries of your life. When we become still, it is a physical act of trusting that God can handle the things we desperately want to hold onto.

“He says, “Be still, and know that I am God;
I will be exalted among the nations,
I will be exalted in the earth.” Psalm 46:10 (NIV)

Gospel-Centered Empathy

I am so tired.

For the past month I have been processing the recent racially motivated killings of African Americans in this country. I have been heartbroken and disgusted, and honestly I have found myself questioning alot of things. My mind is unclear in many ways when it comes to what direction to go and how I can help bring healing to this gaping, bleeding wound of racism in our country. I think that the knee-jerk reaction that we have when these things happen, whether it is racial injustice, gun violence, or another form of hate-caused tragedy is to give our thoughts and prayers when everyone else does, say how awful it is, and if we are honest, move on. There is a sort of implicitly self-imposed distance that we have from these issues, specifically as white Americans. Specifically with the issues of racial injustice, we have to be honest as white people. I am someone who likes to think I am aware of the issues minorities face but I am being dishonest with myself if I cannot admit my own privilege and even my own implicit bias. It is wired into us by the culture we grow up in as white people. I have to be honest with myself about the little ways my whiteness adds ease to my life. My privelege adds comfortability to my life that minorities in this country do not feel. Here are just a few examples:

• When I get pulled over, I am fearful of getting a speeding ticket and I will be stressed about it until I find out if it is a warning or not. That is all I fear though, as growing up I had no reason to fear officers.
• When I go running, I am more concerned with weather, snakes, or maybe someone stealing my Apple Watch than getting jumped and violently killed because I look like someone who committed a crime.
• When I watch movies, a majority of the main characters and heroes have skin like mine.
• When I have kids, I will not have to explain to them the scary realities they have to face due to their complexion.

I do not know how it feels to fear for your life on a traffic stop. I do not know how it feels to be scared of going on a run. I do not know how it feels to get suspicious looks in the grocery store. I do not know how it feels to deal with the reality of having to explain to your child the realities they have to grow up in. I have no idea how these things feel. And, as heartbroken and grief-stricken as I am by these recent tragedies, I can never know how painful this is for the African American community. To my black fiends who are reading this, I am so sorry. I am truly sorry for the pain you feel and I am so sorry for the many times I scroll past the stories that don’t make headline news. The reality is, there are many more of these events that happen without cameras there to film them. The sobering reality is that the only reason why people are speaking out about the murder of George Floyd is because a camera was there. A camera captured it. I hope and pray that the white people who knew this man have the loudest voice for justice. If I am being realistic though, the sad reality in America is that the quietist voice is also the most privileged voice. This tragedy has sparked vocal outrage from white Christian leaders, which has been good to see. My questions for my fellow white people are the following:

Why does it take a death for us to listen to our black brothers and sisters?

Why does it take a video for us to believe them?

Will our action and voice on this issue span beyond the amount of time it is on the headlines?

I truly believe that an utterly sad side of social media is the birth of what I call “trendy compassion”. Trendy compassion is essentially empathy as a result of what the majority of people care about at a given time. The problem with this kind of compassion is that it is a trend. Trends come and trends go. Right now, the compassion for racial injustice is at a high, but where will that compassion go when no one is talking about it or pointing it out? Will we follow the trend and follow the majority into silence? Will churches stop addressing it or caring about it? I want to challenge myself internally and my fellow white Americans to have Gospel-centered empathy rather than trendy compassion. What is Gospel-Centered empathy? I could probably spend a few pages writing about what that is, but I want to use one specific verse from Scripture. It is so simple yet so important. Ready for it? Here is is:

“Jesus wept.” John 11:35 (NIV)

Yep, that is it. Jesus cried. This is a part of what is one of the most powerful stories of the healing work of Jesus that we find in Scripture (Go read it!). Jesus knows He will heal Lazarus, yet as His friends, those He loves mourn, He mourns with them. He feels their pain. This is a powerful vision of the empathy of Jesus. We don’t, however, just see the tears of Jesus over the course of His life. We also see in Matthew 21, the action of Jesus. He stood up for what is right. I also think about Jesus standing up against the religious leaders as they wanted to stone a woman caught in adultery. I think about Jesus valuing women in a culture that did not. We see Jesus breaking cultural barriers and having dinner with people that most would not want to be seen with. Jesus took action on His Empathy. He would not stand for injustice. The Gospel itself goes completely against any sort of racism. The Gospel unites the Jew and the Gentile. It doesn’t see one as better, it values each as made in the Image of God. The. Gospel sees color. In fact, Christ created different complexions and sees the beauty in them. Even the complexions of we have are reflections of God’s amazing creativity. That is why it is tremendously hurtful to minorities when we say “I don’t see color”. I also would suggest that the phrase hurts the heart of God. The Gospel leaves no room for white supremacy, in fact it goes completely against it. Racism is demonic and it is an attack on the Life, Words, and Truth of who Jesus is. We have a call to act against this, not just to react. Gospel-centered empathy is not Gospel-Centered if it is not accompanied by action. I have personally felt challenged in how I can do better. I want to share some things that I am learning to do better as I work towards greater empathy, understanding, and as I grow to act against prejudice.

1. Listen (And believe people when they share their suffering)
2. Be ok with having uncomfortable conversations with those that you know who ARE prejudiced. Speak the Truth in Love.
3. Have Humility and admit your own bias
4. Don’t just read books by white authors, read and support books written by minority authors. If what you are consuming is coming from only one perspective, you are missing out on so much, and you’ll never be able to fully understand people from other cultures.
5. Work to live a multi-cultural life (Have friends who look different than you)
6. Read the words of Jesus prayerfully and live accordingly
7. Address racism in your church
8. Talk about this issue even when the headlines go away.

Ultimately we cannot fix this if we do not recognize the need for change. I want to challenge you to prayerfully examine how maybe you can be more aware of this issue in your own life. I am doing the same.

The Weight We Carry

I find it important to work out and stay in shape. I mean, I attempt to work out. If you know me, you know that I am not exactly the most muscular person on the planet. In fact, my arms and toothpick sized thighs are unimpressive. It’s honestly pitiful. Last year though, I was getting super pumped. I felt like Rocky Balboa must have felt as he was fighting everyone he fought in the like 200 Rocky movies. (Let’s be real, there can never be too many Rocky movies.) Anyway, I was in the gym one day, and was pumped. I was doing great, and the juices were flowing, so I went to the squat bar. To give you some context, I had barely done much of any quality squatting before. But I was feeling unstoppable. So, I got up to the weights, feeling like a beast, and loaded about 230 pounds on the bar. This was probably well over a hundred pounds more than I had ever thought of squatting, but I went up, and pressed that bar up on my shoulders. Keep in mind that I was alone, and did not have a spotter. I would love to tell you a story of triumph and breakthrough, where I dominated the squats like Arnold, and made a Braveheart-esque scream as I put down the bar, but that is not what happened. I began the squat, and quickly realized that I had gotten myself into a risky situation. The bar was simply too much, and I couldn’t bring it down. Eventually I was able to bring the bar back to its rack, but I was extremely close to possibly hurting myself. I was so full of adrenaline and self-confidence that had no base or reason, that I almost hurt myself. It was by far the scariest exercise experience I have ever had, but it was very preventable. I could have understood and recognized my limits, but I was too blinded by my drive to will myself through that workout.

When I think about that story, I laugh at myself and realize my need for working out, but I also see a parallel in this to my own life. Sometimes I carry much more than I can hold. The difference is, I go a long time without putting that weight down. In ways, I would suggest that we all feel that way sometimes. We find ourselves weighed down by everything in life, carrying too much weight. The difference between my workout example and real life, is that carrying more than you can is normal for most people in life. Without knowing it, it is extremely easy to live in a god-complex without even being aware of it. We take all the situations we face, and often put them on our proverbial squat bar. Maybe for you, you’re struggling with depression or an addiction, or another private struggle, and you don’t want to tell anyone or get help, so you put it on your bar. Maybe you have always struggled with doubting God, and dealing with questions in your faith, but instead of bringing them out into the open, you let these questions fester inside of you. Perhaps for you, it is with your finances. You live in constant worry that you don’t have enough so you don’t practice generosity, and can’t completely honor God with your income. We all have our squat bar, and we all have things we tend to put on that bar and attempt to carry. The problem is, when we are attempting to carry our problems on our own, holding that imaginary squat bar, and walking through life with our burdens on our backs, we are not living out the life of freedom that we are made for. You were not made to carry your sin, situations, and struggles in life. We as human beings are not strong enough to live with that weight. One of the most incredible things about God is that He is interested in our problems. He is the bearer of burdens, and is more than strong enough. In the Bible, the word “yoke” is mentioned often. Culturally, it played a significant role in farming, or transportation. A yoke would often go on the shoulders of livestock as they pull plows, or whatever needs to be carried to the desired destination. In the first verse of chapter 5 of Galatians, Paul mentions this word, saying, “’It is for freedom that Christ has set us free.’ ‘Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery.’” Paul was specifically talking about slavery to the law, and living from freedom and living in obedience because of the saving grace of Christ, and the freedom we have. But this can be looked at as an encouragement for us all, no matter what burden we are facing. Jesus died for your freedom. He has set you free to walk in victory, to walk not in slavery to the burdens you face or to live life by your own effort, but in surrender to the Christ, who is massively involved in your life, and desires your heart. You were created to live in reliance on Him. He is worthy of your trust.  So today, whatever weights are on your bar, hold them up to the only One who can truly carry them. For in Him we can find peace, freedom, breakthrough, and deliverance.

“’Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.’ ‘Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.’ ‘For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.’”

Matthew 11:28-30 (NIV)

The Quest for Joy

Ushuaia, Argentina — Man on top of mountain, Tierra del Fuego, Ushuaia, Argentina — Image by © Marc Oeder/Corbis

What is joy, and where can I find it? This is a profound question, and it is my ideological holy grail. Everyone has their own definition for what they believe joy is, but what if I told you most of us have it wrong? Recording artist PARTYNEXTDOOR, who has had massive success in the mainstream music industry, had some intriguing comments about his newfound lifestyle. He said, “It was a blue year for me. I thought, ‘Write a hit, you’ll be rich and happy.’ Meet one of the most beautiful girls in the world, one of the most talented, and I’ll be happy. After all of that? I’m not happy.”

Happiness and joy are words that most people take to have the same meaning, but that isn’t the truth. If you want to live life to the fullest, you have to understand what the difference is. Last year, I was sitting at a Starbucks, working on a coffee and waiting to meet with some people. As I was waiting there, an old man came up, introduced himself, and asked if he could join me. He sat, and we talked for a while about ourselves. He then began to share things with me. He told me about his life, and how he had made many mistakes, but God had still brought him through it. He was a professor at a school and an ordained pastor, and I was inspired by the life this man had lived. Then he told me about his health issues. It was looking like he would not have much longer to live. I asked him what that was like, and his response blew my mind! This man, who had been through so much, simply said he was content with the idea of death. It was extremely moving because of the way he said it. He carried a confidence in his voice. He had joy. His heart and his mind were at peace. He was content. Joy is not just an emotion, it is a mindset, and a condition of the heart.

When I meet people like that man, I find myself thirsting for more. I am sick of shallow emotions. I want something based in more than a feeling. I find that I am not content with simply being happy. I can be happy, but happiness simply is not enough. Simply being happy never cures me of the stress, worry, and everything else that fills my mind. I find that I am normally happy, but often lacking in peace, and contentment. I am not always joyful. Joy is something that should be relentlessly sought out. I have been on that journey. I have searched the world, and come up empty. The only place I have discovered joy is at the feet of Jesus Christ. Because I am a human, I have to intentionally seek after God and let His word, and my connection with Him fill my heart and mind with this ever-sought out joy. It is a process that I am currently navigating through. Jesus Christ is the only source of this wonderful, and life-changing mindset. That is the knowledge I lean on through my struggles. God will use someone with a lifestyle of joy to change the world one person at a time. Every day, you and me are faced with a choice to settle for shallow emotions, or live a lifestyle dictated by the Hope and Truth of Jesus Christ. What will you decide today?

Though you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy, for you are receiving the end result of your faith, the salvation of your souls.-1 Peter 1:8-9 (NIV)

Perspective That Brings Peace

As I write this, I am sitting in a Starbucks, working on a white chocolate mocha, and well, this. It is a busy morning here, as there is a steady line of people ordering their coffee. I really enjoy observing people, and how they interact in different situations. That may sound creepy, but please, let me explain.

In order to capture the full picture of how these people work, let’s look at the ordering process. Right now, there is a man that looks casual, probably rested, ordering his grande’ drink and calmly putting his milk in. He is very patient and slow to speak. I am going to guess that he lives modestly and goes to a job that he loves. He is pretty satisfied with life right now. Next, we see a man that is a bit different. He is probably in his mid to late 40’s, has gray hair, and is dressed very nicely. He has a business suit on. He looks very successful. My estimation is that he leads people. This man has a very specific, and focused vision, and has that on his mind. He is in a hurry, but his mind seems to be moving faster than his body. By the time he orders and pays, in his mind he is in his car. He is ready to attack the day. I hear the ladies sitting behind me. They may not know that I hear them, but, yes, in my nosy ears, I hear them. What I hear is life, Normal life. They are talking about kids, soccer, teenagers, husbands, money, and pretty much everything you can imagine. I see a 20 something dreaming of changing the world as they work through college, and of course your occasional hipster.

It’s interesting, if I wanted to customize a human being, I think I would want to add some things from each of these people. I would want to have the peace of the first person, and the drive and focus of the second guy. I would add the community, and authenticity of the ladies behind me, and the boundless, dreamers mindset of the 20 something college student. I am still contemplating on the hipster.

Now, I turn to myself. As I look around, I see a pretty girl. I choose not to start a conversation with her as a result of my fear of being rejected, or of being awkward. I want to be focused, but I sometimes find myself distracted. I want to change the world, but belief and desire are two different things. I would be authentic, but I fear of being judged. I wish I had peace, but I am so caught up in the things I just mentioned that my mind is constantly in conflict.

But aren’t we all like that in ways? Aren’t we all in some ways enabling a boxing match between what we desire for ourselves, vs. our actual beliefs about who we are? Don’t we all tend to look at things from a perspective that is negative about who we are, where we are, and the situation we are in? Notice something, I picked out everything that was bad about me, and my situation, and highlighted it. This was intentional. If we look at each of those people mentioned, they each had qualities that we would all probably like. But they also have their share of weaknesses and issues that we don’t see. They each have a wrestling match. So, what is winning? How do you view yourself? Do you desire to be a certain way but don’t believe you can get there?

What is the common denominator in all of this? I am writing this, and thinking through this from my point of view. I see those people in the coffee shop from what I see in them. I look at myself, and see what I choose to see. It’s all from my own perspective. This is where the problem is. It is all from my limited view. What if I flipped the script, and looked at what God sees? When I do that, I see something totally different. I see a God who is madly in love with me, knows my problems, and knows what is best for me. I see a God who values me (Ephesians 2:10), and has a plan for my life (Proverbs 16:9).

Do you have a favorite trilogy of books? The author of those books has a plan. He or she knows the end of the story before it is put into effect, because the author created the plot. God knows your story. He knows the end. It is written. You can only see what has been made available for you to see. So why, when we serve such a powerful, loving, and involved God, do we choose to rely on our limited, and generally flawed view of ourselves, and our circumstances. What if we chose to trust in God, knowing that He is good, and loves you like crazy?

Today, we all have a choice. Whose eyes will we look through? God’s eyes, or our own? Only One has perfect vision, and only one sees the whole picture. When you choose to see through God’s eyes, instead of your own, that is when the conflict in your soul will turn to peace. It is a complete change of mindset, but it will bring true peace. It takes knowing Christ intimately, and seeking Him through Prayer, His word, and just resting in His presence.

Choose to let God’s perspective take the lead in your life. Choose to completely submit to, and trust in His promises, and His truth.

So today, how will you let God’s perspective overrule yours? Will you choose to believe what God says about you, instead of your messed up view? Will you trust that He has a plan that is much better than yours? When you are living out of God’s perspective instead of your own, you will be filled with true peace.

-Jeremiah Storkson