| A few weeks ago, while my husband was driving, I | | | | have a proper view of life. |
| was disturbed by moving lines on our windshield. The | | | | Do you have things that annoy you, that frustrate you |
| windshield was obviously dirty, but lines don't usually | | | | so that you are unable to be as productive as you |
| move around. Ordinarily they stay put. Returning home, | | | | would like? Can you look past your "floaters" and try |
| everywhere I looked I saw spider webs - although on | | | | to see things from God's perspective? Can you be |
| closer inspection, there were no spider webs. Later, as | | | | confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a |
| I tried to swat away the mosquitoes I was seeing, I | | | | good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus |
| realized I was having trouble with my left eye. | | | | Christ (Philippians 1:6)? Do you have any floaters or |
| I was seeing things that weren't really there. At my | | | | flashes that thwart your view of God's plan? |
| husband's urging, I called for an appointment to see an | | | | Psalm 19:8 states: "The precepts of the Lord are right, |
| eye doctor and got one for that day - immediately! | | | | giving joy to the heart. The commands of the Lord are |
| The doctor told me I had developed floaters, which, | | | | radiant, giving light to the eyes" (NIV). The NLT renders |
| unfortunately, sometimes happens to people of "my | | | | the last half of this verse this way: "The commands of |
| age." Ouch! He said not to worry unless things | | | | the Lord are clear, giving insight to life. Paul prayed that |
| changed. If they did, I should call him promptly. | | | | his friends in Ephesus would have the eyes of your |
| The next morning, as I walked through a dark house, I | | | | heart... enlightened in order that you may know the |
| saw lightning streaks at the edge of the same eye. | | | | hope to which he has called you, the riches of his |
| Again, I called the doctor's office and again was told to | | | | glorious inheritance in the saints, and his incomparably |
| come right on in. After another examination, he still said | | | | great power for us who believe" (Ephesians 1:18 NIV). |
| things were OK. However, he said my jogging days | | | | We do have to live with the floaters and flashes of life |
| were over and I shouldn't operate a jack hammer or a | | | | - things that Satan tries to put in our path to block |
| garden tiller! He said (lucky me), "you may just have to | | | | what God really wants us to see. But we have a |
| live with your new friends." | | | | choice to look past those things that annoy, frustrate |
| The floaters and flashes have subsided somewhat | | | | and tempt us. We can develop spiritual "eyes" that |
| since that day; however, they are still there. Now that I | | | | focus on Jesus. It takes work. It is possible to train |
| know what they are, I can work to look past them and | | | | yourself to deal constructively with the annoying, |
| go on with whatever I am doing. I admit it is a bit | | | | frustrating circumstances of life. Looking at things from |
| disconcerting, but I am adjusting. | | | | God's perspective is possible through the mind of |
| It occurs to me that spiritual life is a little like my floaters | | | | Christ (1 Corinthians 2:16). "Whatever things are true, |
| and flashes. We tend to let things get in the way of | | | | whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, |
| our seeing the big picture. Sometimes we have to look | | | | whatever things are pure, whatever things are |
| through floaters to see the beauty of God's creation | | | | lovely,whatever things are of good report,if there is |
| and His purposes for us. Floaters can take many | | | | any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy |
| forms. Like the floaters in my eye, certain | | | | meditate on these things" (Philippians 4:8) |
| circumstances, people and things can annoy us and | | | | Concentrating on Jesus and His example can prevent |
| obscure our vision. This brings new meaning to the old | | | | us from being chastised by Him as He did His disciples, |
| saying, "You can't see the forest for the trees." The | | | | Do you have eyes but fail to see, and ears but fail to |
| "floaters" and the "trees" give us a shallow | | | | hear (Mark 8:17NIV)? |
| perspective, and they must be dealt with in order to | | | | What is your one focus? |