All of life is perspective. EVERYTHING! What is good, what is bad, it is all perspective. James says, "Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds.." . How can I be joyful in the midst of trial or suffering? Because! “…because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance.” I can be joyful if I have the proper perspective. If my focus is on what my trial is producing, perseverance leading to maturity, then I can be joyful. If my perspective is on the trial, then I cannot.
“Control is an illusion.” This is one of the perspectives the Father has shared with me. I so desire to protect my children, yet, the truth is, I am unable to. I am not God. I cannot protect them from all the possible harm that can befall them. This does not negate my responsibility to parent them. But it does change my perspective.
“I can do nothing without Him.” Children are an entrustment from the Lord. I have to confess I am not always faithful with this entrustment. There are times, more times than I care to acknowledge, that I fail to put their needs above my own. I am a selfish creature and having children has not cured this, it has just revealed it. In this, as in all things, I need the empowering presence of the Holy Spirit.
“My son needs an encounter with God.” This is one of the ways the Father has led me to pray throughout all of this. He has also directed me to lead my son to direct his own prayers to the Father, to cry out to God for healing, and to depend on him for grace. I pray that through this he will know God in a personal way.
These are some of the perspectives the Father has given me throughout this trial. I am sure there will be others. The greatest perspective, of course, is that all of our lives exist to bring glory to the name of Jesus. May this be true of our family through this time.
Remember, suffering is not the worst thing. Suffering that produces nothing, is the worst thing!
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