Perspective

I'm doing a Beth Moore bible study right now on the book of Daniel. This morning she spoke on feeling inferior. One of the things she said that stuck with me was that self loathing was just as bad as exalting yourself because ultimately you're still focused on yourself (not her exact words...).

Lately I have been somewhat stressed and worried about what to do after Friday. Where I should go, what kind of job to get, what I want to do, what God wants me to do, what my gifts are, how to pay down some of my debt. Beth really reminded me this morning that my focus has been on myself completely and not the Lord. When we're focused on ourselves its so easy for our problems and issues to be magnified ten times bigger than they are. I get so caught up in my own life that I forget that everyone around me is dealing with things as well, I am not the only one. And my problems are nothing compared to the things that some people are going through.

This summer that was one of the things that stuck out to me most I think. I really started to gain a new perspective on struggle and pain. It seems as though I often think the pain in my own life is such that someone else should care and give sympathy. But my pain is nothing compared to that of another persons. Who am I to feel sorry for myself because I'm having a bad day, I don't know what someone else is going through. If they've just lost a loved one, are battling sickness constantly, have major money issues, just lost their job that was their entire life. Who am I to think that my bad day can even compare to what someone else may be going through?

These past few months have been about me gaining a new perspective on life and I was again reminded of that today. My focus should be on the Lord, not myself and whatever struggle is there today. Focus on the Lord and the rest will fall into place in due time.