Be Careful What You Look Through

Your stories and prayers moved me so much yesterday. I have prayed and continue to pray these words for you and your families…“I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, and his incomparably great power for us who believe. Ephesians 1:18-19b.

My 13yr old son taught me something that has encouraged my heart as a mom and as a woman. I shared it as a D6 story recently during my D6 Conference video session. I’d love to share it with you. You can click on the the arrow (on my face below) to watch a 2-minute video of me telling it.

At first, this was a lesson I was able to share with Joshua as a D6 story, but over time it’s become a lesson God has challenged me to really think about.

Sometimes my perspective gets discolored and, like my mom, I don’t like how things look. I become critical of myself, my circumstances or people around me. There are days when my emotions and hard situations tempt me to focus on life through my human eyes, keeping me from seeing through God’s perspective.

The verse Joshua and I discussed from 1 Samuel 16 about man looking at the outward appearance but God looking at the heart, is a truth I want to apply- being careful what I look through before judging what I see…

when I look at the outward appearance of my circumstances,
when I look at the outward appearance of my decisions,
when I look at the outward appearance of my future,
when I look at the outward appearance of my kid’s choices,
when I look at the outward appearance of my choices.

I don’t want to judge how things will turn out just from my perspective. I want to see through God’s perspective – having hope even when things don’t “look” the way I think they should.

I am asking God to help me see, not just the outward appearance, but more importantly the heart of situations, relationships and circumstances through His perspective. I am being careful what I look through before I judge what I see, trying to view life through His “lens” instead of mine.

Are their circumstances in your life where you need God to give you His perspective?

Copyright 2009, Renee Swope – All rights reserved.

We’re giving a copy of Lysa’s TerKeurst’s “The Bathtub is Overflowing but I feel Drained” a “perspective-changing” book full of hilarious stories and great parenting insights. For another winner, we’ve got two tickets to the D6 Conference and a year’s worth of Family Devotional Magazines from D6.

Also, Girls Night Out sold out, so we’ve added a Girl’s Day out . I have two tickets to give away! It’s from 11:30am-2pm with the same line-up, including Kate from TLC’s Jon and Kate plus 8, Lysa TerKeurst, Ayiesha Woods, Jason Catron, and me (who by the way is quite nervous about speaking in front of 4000 people! Me, the one who told God I wouldn’t even get up and pray in front of 20 people 10 years ago.)

To be part of today’s give-aways, click on the words “comments” below this post. PLEASE include your email so we can get in touch if you win, your city, and let us know which prize you’d like to win in your comment !