Reframe Your Perspective

How do you look at your problems, your trials and tribulations? How do you frame the scenario?

In a discussion yesterday, I talked about how we see circumstances through our experiences, our emotions, our environment, and our education. These and other parameters help us frame the way we see it. Like a relationship. Experience says we’ve been burned before, so we go in looking to be burned. We let emotions and feelings rule our actions, even when we know we should be more based on reason. Example, I love bread, carbs are my friend … except that my waist line would beg to differ.

There is a danger in seeing circumstances only through our experiences, our emotions, our environment, and our education.

Tear Down Strongholds

And our environment influences the way we see things. Culture attempts to frame the definition of marriage, or now trying to bring fluidity to gender identity. The problem, culture changes. Not only between generations, but also between borders. Guns are pretty well accepted around my neck of the woods … big 2 Amendment peeps. But go to some other countries, not so much. Even in America you have to be aware of different restrictions when crossing across state lines.

And when it comes to education, wow … what a difference from one teacher to another, one school to another. Where you go and whom you sit under matters. We are so influenced by our teachers, our schools, our mentors, our preachers. If you’re taught repeatedly that southerners are all uneducated, that Christians are all misogynists, that whites are are racists … will you ever see me as a southerner who has multiple post graduate degrees – and a Christian that respects and elevates and desires God’s best for all lives, all genders – and a white man that strives to show the sanctity of all God’s image bearers, to love and respect each and every person, and to walk side by side with all mankind. We may disagree on polity, procedure, and priorities, but we are all God’s people.

The issue is perspective. How do you frame circumstances in which you find yourselves?

My challenge … see everything through God’s eyes …

• Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect
• Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness
• We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ

Our point of view is limited. When left to our own devices, our perspective is flawed and open to subjectivity. But when we go to His Word and His wisdom, we find a solid foundation and firm framework to every situation.

And the interesting thing, the situation being framed never changes. It stays the same. But now, the way we look at it is healthier and helps us mature in our messy journey called life.

So today, reframe your perspective to His framework.