Changing the Eyes of Your Heart
Have you ever struggled with a bad attitude towards the circumstances around you, even ones you know are straight from God? Have you ever wished you could just see God's plan behind it all? Lately, I've found myself asking God to change the eyes of my heart.Currently, our family is knee-deep in the move of our lives. After ten years of pursuit, including three years of traveling across the country moving every 6 or so weeks for his job role, my husband is now the proud owner of his own thriving business. While we identified a few target regions, we really didn't have any idea exactly what city and community in which we would permanently land. The result is nothing like we had imagined.Don't get me wrong, we are thrilled! Our children finally have a bed, not a hotel couch. We can begin establishing a true rhythm to our lives and develop friendships that won't disappear after a month. But the town we are now calling our forever home is a quarter the size of our home city, only boasts about two retail shopping destinations, and is lacking the avenues of adventure and tourism we have enjoyed.When we were offered this opportunity, I knew I had a choice to make....Would I allow comparison and resentment to build up from my unmet expectations? Or, would I allow God to infiltrate my life with his love, his heart, and his vision for this community?As Jesus people, the eyes of our heart are much more important than what we physically see.
When What Our Eyes See Disappoints
People, opportunities, and expectations often prove more disappointing in reality than the idealized images we mentally create. But, when we allow God to give us HIS eyes, HIS heart for the circumstances around us, our perspective is transformed into one filtered through hope and love.God doesn't reign haphazardly. He has a plan and purpose for every person you meet, every place you work, and every community you serve. God LOVES those people. He loves our neighborhoods, our schools, and our workplaces, and He desires for our communities to thrive beneath his blessing.Our choice to participate with God in loving and blessing our communities holds considerable impact, perhaps even eternal impact.Perhaps you've begun a new job of your dreams, only to discover your co-workers disparaging, your boss unrelenting, and your work hours stretching longer and longer into the night. You have a choice. Will you choose grace and compassion towards your co-workers and boss? If you do, you could change their lives eternally. You never know what needs God has ordained you to fill in His name. Do you choose thankfulness for the growth opportunities in front of you? If you do, you'll experience increase stamina through the strength of Christ.Jeremiah 29:7 encourages us to "seek the peace and prosperity of the city to which I have carried you. Pray to the LORD for it, because if it prospers, you too will prosper."
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I believe this verse can be applied to more than just a geographical location. God desires us to see the peace and prosperity of all places to which He guides us. This includes our schools, apartment complexes and neighborhoods, workplaces, and grocery store lines.
Seeking God's Vision
As we move our children to this new quaint community, I am asking the Lord to transform the eyes of my heart to see the beauty He sees, to see the souls He loves, and to gain His vision for how this city might prosper beneath His blessing. There are children who need father figures, single-moms who need encouragement, and unemployed veterans who need jobs. God has a role for our family to play.
When we allow God to grant us His perspective, increased grace and love towards even the most difficult of circumstances is sure to follow.
How might you ask God to change the eyes of your heart today towards whatever "community" in which you find yourself? Maybe it's your dorm room, your classroom, your cubicle group, or even your physical city? When we allow God to grant us His perspective, increased grace and love towards even the most difficult of circumstances is sure to follow.