Look Up!

I can't even detail how crazy my last ten days have been! Just when I thought that things were sure to level off, they'd intensify. The enemy has tempted me lately to just let go and vent about the craziness. To be honest, I really have thought about it at times. When it seems I'm nearing the breaking point, I think, "Oh, how I'd love to sit down and write, minute by minute, what my typical day is like!" But for what?

Sure, I could detail the enormous strain that our household faces even without the extraordinary happenings of late. However, what purpose would that serve? When I think of letting go with a tirade, I can hear the Lord whispering to me, "Would that bring me glory, or would you be giving the enemy the attention he so desires? Instead of that, why don't you just rest in me and trust me to use these circumstances for your good? Let me use your life for my purposes and glory."

I do want my life to glorify God. I want to be found faithful during the crazy times when I feel like I can't take another second. I want to look to Him each day to supply me with whatever strength I'll need for each circumstance that I face. I want to cling to the truth that He is in control no matter how out of control things feel at times. I want to have my gaze fixed upon Him, knowing that I might not see clearly now, but I will one day.

It's really all about perspective. I can look at things right now and grumble about how stressful and horrible they are. Or I can look at it differently and say, "You know, Lord, I don't love going through this, but I believe that you're gonna bring great beauty out of it. I don't feel like I can humanly handle any of this, but I thank You that this opens the door for an awesome display of your strength." Then, somehow in all of it, the enemy will have lost out and God will have received the glory. Now I need only pray that I can obey Him in this when I feel like complaining!

These two pictures remind me that outlook determines a lot. They are the same subject, photographed within a minute of one another. What made the second one prettier? It was because I shot it from a different angle, namely looking up! And so our circumstances can look different to us if we will just look up and to Him.