In our everyday lives, when we look out at our world, what do we see? Do we see people just going about their lives too? Do we see hope and love or hurt and pain? Do we see hopelessness and tragedy or confusion and distress? Do we see fear and doubt or uncertainty and unrest? Do we see anger and bitterness or loneliness and rejection? Do we see sadness and joy or happiness and contentment?
What is it that we see? What do we see in the people around us? What do we see in the events in our lives and the world? What do we see in our history as well as the history of the world? What do we see in the world today?
What is it that God sees? What does He see in all the same things? His Word tells us. His Spirit will reveal it to us if we ask.
People
God loves us. (1 John 4:19)
God cares for us. (Psalm 68:19)
God died for us. (Romans 5:8)
God has a future of hope for us. (Jeremiah 29:11)
God also sees our hurt, pain. disappointment, doubts, questions, loneliness, rejection, sadness, and all our emotions and struggles in life. He feels for us.
He sees the sin, the hold it has, the hopelessness we have without Him. (Mark 6:34, Matthew 14:14, 2 Peter 3:9)
This is what God sees in the people around us. We see the outside. He sees the inside. God can give us the inside view if we ask. He will give us His heart for those around us. He will open our eyes to His view. (1 Samuel 16:7)
So often we are busy with our own lives that we miss seeing others around us. We see their faces, but don’t comprehend their need. We rush past on to the next thing. We are too focused on us and our needs to see others. But they are there and longing for someone to notice them and their need.
Or maybe we are looking for someone to care. To stop and look at us. Really look at us. To understand and care enough to reach out to you.
Everywhere there are people in need. They are walking around with heavy burdens and heavy hearts. They can be invisible. They feel invisible.
We all have the ability to mask ourselves. Mask our emotions, our true need and pretend everything is fine. We try to look perfect on the outside, but are falling apart on the inside.
We all have needs, wants, hopes, dreams, and plans. But we also all face disappointment, sadness, broken aspirations, setbacks and change. We are all broken to some degree. If we would just open our eyes. If we would be honest, truly honest about ourselves. Then we could have harmony and see how we really are not that different from each other. We are not different from our neighbor, the person on the street, those who we pass in the store, the clerk who checks us out, the waitress, the delivery person, our coworker and all those we encounter each day.
God sees. Jesus saw when He walked the earth. He talked to and cared for women, the leper’s, the poor, the sick, the widows, the grieving. He talked to the woman at the well. He saw a her need and fulfilled it. He saw all their needs and helped them out of compassion for them. (Matthew 20:34,Mark 1:41, Matthew 9:36, Matthew 15:32, Matthew 11:5, Mark 1:40-41, Matthew 9:22, Matthew 9:25, John 4:7-9)
Ask God and He will show you. He will give us a His eyes and heart for people if we just ask and if we slow down to stop and look, really look at others around us.
Current Events – Globally & Personally
The news can be depressing, but how does God see it? How should we see it? We know He is in control. We know the devil can only do what God allows. We also know that the human condition and the events and state of the world grieves God. This is not what He originally created or planned. That’s doesn’t mean He is not in control or that he is just reacting. No He knew it all from the beginning and He planned the greatest redemption of all. He came to us and showed us His love and mercy for us by dying in our place so we could have life in Him. (Romans 8:18-19, Romans 8:20-22, Romans 11:33-36, Ephesians 5:15-16)
So when we look at the current events in both globally and in our lives, what do we see? How can we see it all through God’s eyes? How can we have His heart and respond as His children?
We can learn through His Spirit and His Word. Through prayer and His guidance, He will show us His view. (Romans 12:12)
Gradually our eyes will see the pain, hurt, sadness, loneliness, hopelessness and all the wrongs done, not as the world sees it, but we as heaven sees it. (Romans 12:15)
We will see the lostness, the need, the love and understanding not given. We will see the work of the devil as it is and the work of God fighting against it. We will see God’s hope, mercy, kindness and salvation working in everything. We will see how we can help and get involved in God’s Kingdom work to reach out and help. (Romans 12:16, Romans 12:18)
We will see the joy, hope, dreams, enthusiasms and ambitions as we see both the need and God at work in the world and our lives. Just as He shares our highs and lows, we can rejoice with those who rejoice and mourn with those who mourn. We can be in harmony with God and His work in the world. (Romans 12:21)
History – World & Our Life
The world has a story. We have a story. Everyone has a story. History tells stories of the past.
In history we see the same struggles as now. We see we are all the same. We see triumphs, failures, loss, weaknesses, hopes, joy, dreaming, pursuing, working, striving, struggles, and the want for more, for something better, the hope for the next generation to have a better life.
We all have a story. The story of our life. We are who we are because of our story. We make choices based on our story for good or bad. The events, upbringing, circumstances, exposures, opportunities, and lifestyle we were born into all affected our personality and perspective on life.
The world has a story that’s playing out in past and present. The story is part a product of history. History repeats itself often. The acts of people today affect future generations and the acts of people in the past affect today. It can be for good or bad. Actions can have lasting negative or positive results. (Galatians 6:8)
We also can see if we look closer, God at work throughout it all. Prophecy, Gods plan, forgiveness, Good News, salvation, thankfulness, praise, redemption, hope and future goodness. (Isaiah 25:1, Psalm 40:5, Acts 2:16-21, Romans 1:2, Ephesians 2:4-5, Ephesians 2:6-7, Ephesians 2:8-9)
We can see God at work in our story and the stories of those around us. We can watch Him work in our neighborhood and community, our church, our school and our workplace.
We can see God at work in the world. In nations and world events. In history, past and present. (Ecclesiastes 7:13-14)
Reading His Word opens our eyes to Gods character and the ways He works as well as how we can be a part of His plan, His story. God is telling a story of His love, mercy, grace and forgiveness extended towards humanity. God wants to use us in His story. He wants us to be a part of His plan. He could do it all Himself, but He wants us. Let Him open our eyes to His works and be ready to be used by Him through His guidance through His Spirit. (Ephesians 2:10)
Today – Now & the Future
In the present moment do you see God at work? Is He at work in your life? God wants to work in us and use us each individually in His plan. He is always at work.
When we accepted Him as Lord and Savior, He came into our lives. He lives in us through His Holy Spirit. He is working in our lives even when we turn away. He draws us back and teaches us. He works in our circumstances everyday. He is working every moment. Only when we get to Heaven will we see the fullness of His work in our lives. (Philippians 1:6)
But we can also hinder His work. We can refuse His help. We can not welcome His hand, His Word, His correction in our life. All He wants is to give us life in Him, life abundantly. We can only find true satisfaction, true life in Him. Even so He works when we push back. He does what He can to show us truth and bring us to return to Him. We should not shun a His discipline. It is out of live for us that He rebukes and nudges us to repent and return to Him. (Proverbs 3:11-12, Hebrews 12:5-7)
He is doing the same in those around us, calling them, drawing them to Himself. We have a choice to accept or reject Him.
His children are always on His mind. He sings and rejoices over us. He teaches and guides us into His ways. He is closer than anybody, always there, always ready to help. He is our best friend, our best supporter. His love for us is greater than we could know. (Zephaniah 3:17, Proverbs 17:17)
He sees the future for each of us. He doesn’t just know, but is and has been there, planning and working things for our good as we walk with Him. He knows tomorrow, next year and ten years from now. We can trust Him. We should not worry about things, but let Him help us in each thing we face everyday. We can give things to a Him, small, trivial, or big and watch Him work. He is faithful, always. He will never ever let us down. He sees and knows everything. (Deuteronomy 7:9, 2 Thessalonians 3:3, 1 John 1:9)
God is everywhere at all times. He sees us always and is always looking out for us, His children. He came to earth, He felt what we feel and was tried and tempted as we are so He understands us. He grieved, rejoiced, feared, hoped, loved, was concerned, saddened, scared, deeply hurt, rejected and crushed inside by the burden He carried to give His life for us all. (Jeremiah 23:23-24, Matthew 26:38, Hebrews 4:15-16)
Conclusion
Let God change your view. Ask for His perspective on everything and He will give it to you. He longs to show us His view to help us see so we can live fully for Him. So we can trust Him now and for the future. Let Him show you people, life, history, events, circumstances, problems, struggles, and global situations all through His eyes. You will see a completely different picture than the world shows. You will see everything in a different light, by Heavens view. It will compel you to love, understanding, hope, forgiveness, and to action in Gods plan for your life as you see His Kingdom working and are lead by Him. (2 Corinthians 5:14-16)
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