By applying the truths from God’s word I mentioned in my previous post, Ignorance is not Bliss, the enemy’s efforts to steal my joy can be thwarted. So this post will be written from the point of view of one who applied those truths and claimed and is claiming the victory.
As each day unfolds, I choose my perspective. I can choose to be self-centered and limit my view to only those thoughts that reflect what concerns me. Or I can choose to broaden my point of view and ponder thoughts that reflect the wonder of God.
The fact that I am even here in Edinburgh is a miraculous gift from God. When my children were small I wrestled (yes wrestled) with God about surrendering my children to His will for their lives. Reason being I was afraid He would call them to go to far away places and I wouldn’t know the joy of living life within proximity of one another. So I asked God that if His plans for them would require the sacrifice I dreaded, would He please make it possible for me to visit them as often as I needed to.
I have four children and only my firstborn lives close enough to share in the living of life with them. My second born lives in New Jersey, my third born lives in Texas, and now my fourth born is living in Scotland. Yet God has been faithful and while I have not always gotten to visit my children who live far away whenever I wanted to, I have certainly been blessed to visit them whenever I needed to.
It’s a matter of not only choosing to surrender my children to God but of also choosing to surrender my will to God. And I believe because I made (and continue to make) that choice (although at times, it’s like I mentioned before. a real struggle) God has the freedom to fulfill my request to be able to visit them.
Yes, there is much in their lives and my grandchildren’s lives that their distant addresses have deemed I miss out on. But it’s once again a matter of perspective. In light of eternity what really matters here on earth? That I missed out on so much of my grandchildren’s growing up years, or that each one has made a decision to follow Christ?