An Eternal Perspective

I am getting better daily, but I would be lying if I said that I didn't have a problem with worrying about little things that don't really matter from time to time. The ladies in my small group are reading a book called, "Calm my Anxious Heart," by Linda Dillow. The first chapter is about how to be content in all circumstances. One of the key points discusses viewing life from God's point of view and putting life in perspective. What is really important? Relationships with God, family, and friends? Or keeping your house clean? Are you worrying about all the little things that you have to do today? Okay. So when you put it like that, it sounds a bit obvious. But honestly, how many times do you find yourself worrying about that homework assignment that you have put off far too long, that huge pile of laundry that you just really don't have time for right now, or maybe that pound or two you gained last weekend? It just doesn't.really.matter. when you put it through God's eternal point of view.

I had one of those huge life transforming moments a few years ago sitting on Newport beach. It was a week or so after my mom had died, and I was a sophomore at Chapman University. I had just flown back to Orange County after having attended my mom's funeral, and I had that huge pit in the bottom of my stomach. I didn't know if I had the strength to go back to Chapman when my heart was in Phoenix with my family, best friends, and Scott (whom I had been dating long distance for about a year at that point). I sat on that beach staring endlessly at the eternally deep, mysterious ocean worrying about whether or not I should move back "home" to Phoenix. I worried about if I should finish the semester or not, if I would feel like a failure if I transferred schools, the headache of physically moving all of my belongings to another state..... all of that. It was at that moment that the holy spirit calmed my heart and God whispered in my ear. It was as if He was telling me that my worries were like small insignificant pennies buried in that deep ocean. It was as if he was telling me that in the grand scheme of what my life was going to look like, my problems at that precise moment in time weren't really that big of a deal. My worries were so small compared to the LIFE that He had planned for me, and who was I to waste any time dwelling on them? I felt in that moment that life was too short to not follow my heart, and I needed to leave those tiny pennies at rest in the huge, open ocean. And you know the rest of the story... moved to Phoenix, got engaged 8 months later, and shortly after married the love of my life. Things ended up turning out pretty well... couldn't have planned it better than God for sure.:)

What are you truly living for today? What will you let consume you? All those little worries and problems? Or do you choose to be consumed by the blessed king of kings who is controller over all things?