“What's the matter honey?” my husband Kenya asked as he entered our bedroom with his eyes stretched wide and his voice sounding worried. He quickly slid his black leather work bag off his shoulder and let it fall to the floor with a dull thud. “Is everything OK? Is there something I can do?” he inquired, rushing over to the bed where I sat crying, cradling, and stroking our 3-week-old daughter Kyla's fingers and toes. I must have been a sight to behold too, with my puffy eyes, disheveled hair, wrinkled up T-shirt, and a bed-full of baby products strewn all around me!
That day had been a particularly chaotic one. I thought it would be much easier to adapt to Kenya's return back to work. I've always considered myself pretty independent. But to my surprise, as a first-time mommy, I felt inadequate and very nervous when left alone in our tiny apartment. I got through that phase pretty quickly, and the things my amazing mother taught me kicked right in. But at that time, I was trying hard to mentally adjust to the weighty responsibility of caring for this tiny, totally dependent little person.
Can I do this well? I doubted myself. As you can imagine, my emotions were everywhere.
But that's not why unstoppable rivers of water were rushing from my eyes that day while Kenya waited for my response. Overcome with emotion, I stammered through my explanation. “Sh-she has all her t-t-toes and f-fingers,” I said heaving. “Sh-she's p-perfect in every w-w-way.” Immediately, the tension left Kenya's face and we both broke out into laughter.
It's funny looking back on that, but if we all would regularly allow the awesome wonder of God's goodness to overwhelm us more than our challenges, we would be so full of peace. Our tears would be tears of joy and not pain. It's all a matter of perspective.
You see, God's goodness, favor, and love is all around us. But if we become fixated on the challenges that lie ahead, we'll miss the opportunity to bask in all the blessings we have in our possession right now. As I told you yesterday, focus on the present. Sure, you may be facing some daunting challenges, and a few situations may be trying your faith.
But ask yourself. What do I have to be grateful for in my life? What things have occurred that make me stand back and say, nobody but God did that? Whatever they are, zone in on those things. And before you know it, your perspective will change. You'll be praising God for His blessings, instead of stressing and complaining. Again, it's a matter of perspective.
For it is not what you see, but how you see it that matters most.
And by the way, that little baby girl I was in awe of back then, turned 12 years old today (Happy Birthday Kyla!). I am still in awe. She is a kind, caring, intelligent, gifted, confident, and funny young woman. Above all, her heart belongs to Jesus Christ.
So far, so good!
TODAY'S PRAYER: God, I pray for a perspective change, so the awesome wonder of Your goodness will overwhelm me more than the issues and challenges that arise in my life. Even when things are not perfect, help me to focus on the blessings and favor that surrounds me everyday. In Jesus' name, Amen.
