The Big Picture

After a super productive Saturday, I took Sacha and my book for some quiet time outside.  With my course done, I'm excited about the chance to read some of the books that have been waiting for me.

The following excerpt moved me last night:

Joseph was learning to live a God-focused life in the dungeon.  Even in the darkness, he was able to see his life from a perspective bigger than his immediate surroundings.

Do you want to live with a self-centered focus? Be prepared for major disappointment. Do you want to live with a circumstance-centered focus? Be prepared for endless frustration.  The only way to live is joyfully with a God-centered focus. That's when you will be looking in the right direction.

Occasionally I have conversations with people who are still looking for themselves. I understand why they haven't found themselves yet. They're looking in the wrong direction. They don't have a God-centered focus.  I have to tell them, "You're not going to find yourself until you meet God."

Without a God-centered focus to life, everything is turned on its head. You will never know who you are, why you are here, or what you are supposed to be doing until first you gaze into the face of God as revealed in the person of the Lord Jesus Christ. When you acknowledge Christ for who He is, then you will discover who you are. (Begg, pg. 104)

What beautiful, convicting thoughts! As one who often focuses more on myself or my circumstances, this is an important message to take in.  How many times hasn't my life been turned on its head... not because God had forgotten me or worked something miserable in my life but because my focus had shifted from God to my circumstances.

So often we allow our circumstances to dictate our knowledge of God.  When things are easy and our lives are overflowing with blessings that are easy to spot, God is good.  When times are tough and we feel as though we're struggling to keep our heads above water, so often we feel abandoned, forgotten and confused.  Our Heavenly Father is bigger than our circumstances.  Whatever we're facing in our lives does not change God; he is the same yesterday, today and forever (Heb 13:8).

Now, how we change in the midst of our circumstances because of a focus fixed on God... that's a whole other, beautiful, grace-filled story.