“I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened, so that you will know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints, and what is the surpassing greatness of His power toward us who believe.” Ephesians 1:18-19
We have a pair of binoculars stored in our closet that belonged to my parents. I remember looking at them as a child and learning how to use them. Employed correctly, they provide clarity; however, used improperly they distort making matters worse than if they had not been used at all. The same principal applies in our lives when we fail to look at things from God’s perspective. This is true with respect to both our circumstances and our interactions with others. It is a matter of hope and faith.
As the title would suggest, this discussion is an overflow from last week’s post entitled Images of Hope. While we may understand the scriptural elements of our hope, it’s often difficult to bring those concepts to the fore in the midst of the battle. In order to do so, we have to train ourselves to view our lives from God’s perspective, or as Paul put it, we must live by faith and not by sight (2 Corinthians 5:7). It takes diligence and determination to make that our habit, but the effort is important as our perspective greatly affects both our hope and faith. When we interpret God based on the frustration, stress, pain and grief of our trials, our view of God becomes distorted, our hope wanes and our faith begins to erode. However, when we view our hardships from God’s perspective, i.e. through faith, our trust in God is strengthened, our hope grows and our faith becomes more steadfast. While our emotions are valid, they distort and fail to provide the clarity that faith in God and His promises affords.
Akin to our circumstances are other people. We can get along with anyone as long as they fulfill our expectations. However, when they fail to so or our personalities clash in some way, it can be trying. It is in those times that we need to view them as God does rather than viewing them through our frustration, grudges or lack of forgiveness. Quite often, conflicts have nothing to do with current circumstances but rather past events in the life of one or both parties. While we may not be able to see their hearts and minds like God can, we can approach others with the love of God. By setting our expectations and emotions aside while offering understanding, grace and forgiveness, we encourage hope and faith in others rather than blocking or undermining it.
Consider the life of our Lord which is a perfect example of both. When Christ walked the earth as the “suffering servant”, His mission was to instruct and to redeem. Despite His demonstration of power in both the miracles that He performed and His teaching, the vast majority rejected Him. From a circumstantial point of view, the Jews were more concerned with their physical well-being rather than their spiritual condition. Consequently, they skipped the prophecies regarding their Redeemer and focused solely on the King. Because Christ didn’t relieve their suffering under Roman rule, they rejected Him as well as the real hope and faith that He offered. With respect to relationships, Christ confronted the Jewish leaders’ beliefs, rules and behaviors rather than agreeing with them and conforming to their expectations, e.g. cleansing the temple. Again, He was rejected because they refused to listen from God’s perspective. Only those who came to Christ with an open mind, accepted God’s plan and viewed our Lord through faith understood and received the salvation that He offered.
When we pray for God’s enlightenment, maintain our hope in Him and keep our eyes fixed on our inheritance as His children, we more readily recognize the value of events of our lives and handle them with grace. When we interact with others lovingly employing both grace and truth, we enjoy healthier relationships. In both cases, we nurture hope and faith whether it is our own or another’s.
May the Lord direct your hearts into the love of God and into the steadfastness of Christ.
Will