A Change in Perspective

I have been challenged recently to look at the obstacles in my life from a different perspective.  This is an old lesson that I need to re-learn: “embracing a challenge as an opportunity”.  Phil used to be involved in experiential learning programs. He would take students into the mountains or wilderness, let them experience natural challenges,and guide and encourage them through it... 

…the result was growth, maturity and change.  Mentally I know that challenge develops perseverance which leads to growth and maturity. However when, from my point of view, the challenges are situations that are flawed, wrong, or don’t appear to have a long term purpose in them, such as a sickness, injustice, or…a 7-year bill for German back taxes... I seem to see myself as a “victim of the circumstance”.   I then tend to take it on as a battle (which in reality looks like a lot of complaining, bitterness and whining) instead of  seeing God as the sovereign Lord of my life who does not let anything escape His grip.  Do I believe that?  Yes I do!  So if I do, why don’t I live as if I do?  What keeps me stuck in this ”victim” perspective?

I’ve been studying the books of Acts and Romans with a wonderful group of women here in Steinbach.  This has been one of the highlights of my week. There are about 15 of us, ages 21-80, who just want to study God’s book.  It is sooo cool!!
To be honest Romans is not the book I would have chosen.  I had to take it in my grade 12 Bible class and I don’t remember it being all that exciting.  Lots of hard words like sanctification, law, faith, sovereignty... doctrines, lots of foundational principals…this a challenge for a “doer” like me. But it is exactly the right book for me right now. Last week in our teaching we were discussing the situation in which Paul wrote Romans.  It was on his 3^rd missionary journey and he had this huge longing to get to Rome, even though he knew something “bad” was going to happen there.  He knew it, people warned him, but he knew he had to go.  Not for one moment did he think that this particular “bad” (like going to prison and eventually getting killed) was not part of God’s plan. Wow! That is submission.  That is single-minded living to the fullest, not letting any scary circumstance get in the way of the course set ahead.
 

So I can look at the challenge of a 7-year German back tax bill, or Phil’s new responsibilities of providing education for the most marginalized children of our world with minimal funding, chronic back pain, even a winter of living through the second coldest winter in Manitoba in 100 years (couldn’t help but put that in there) as being circumstances that are not out of God’s control, and that he will use it all to bring about growth in us, others and His kingdom.

So what am I afraid of? I'll put on those new perspective glasses and go for the goal!

Winter trivia:

Various uses for a blow dryer here in Manitoba:

1. Freeing up frozen water pipes ( yes, my dear friend Ev was doing this last week)
2. Un-thawing frozen door knobs to get into your house
3. See video clip: 
4. Blow-drying your hair