In the bible studies that I lead I talk to a lot about prayer and the way that it changes our perspective from our view to God’s view.
Rather than looking at things from our perspective we should pray that God gives us His perspective into the things we are praying about. We must realize how small we are and how big God is, and how short our time of existence is compared to eternity.
Psalm 90:2 (NLT)2 Before the mountains were born, before you gave birth to the earth and the world, from beginning to end, you are God.
Psalm 39:4 (HCSB)4 “LORD, reveal to me the end of my life and the number of my days. Let me know how short-lived I am.
James 4:13-14 (HCSB)13 Come now, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will travel to such and such a city and spend a year there and do business and make a profit.”14 You don’t even know what tomorrow will bring—what your life will be! For you are ⌊like⌋ smoke that appears for a little while, then vanishes.
1 Peter 1:24 (HCSB)24 For All flesh is like grass, and all its glory like a flower of the grass. The grass withers, and the flower falls,
We are not in control of the world God is. We are not in control of our futures, God is. The only response to our problems or our condition is to be still and turn them over to God.
Psalm 46:10 (NLT)10 “Be still, and know that I am God! I will be honored by every nation. I will be honored throughout the world.”
When we see things from God’s perspective it helps to not become frustrated or angry with God and His timing. When our prayers aren’t answered the way we expect, it helps us to trust without hesitation that God knows what He is doing far better than we know how we think things should be done.
God wants us to always keep eternity in mind, because that is His perspective. When we do, it helps us to understand that “the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us”
Romans 8:18 (HCSB) For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is going to be revealed to us.
Understanding that we are limited by time and space and while God is not changes our perspective on everything...even our thanksgiving.
The following devotion by Sarah Young, urges us to view life through the lens of God’s view. That view is one of abundance. It calls for us to view life through the lens of God’s view which is one of abundance.
Rather than looking at things from our perspective we should pray that God gives us His perspective into the things we are praying about. We must realize how small we are and how big God is, and how short our time of existence is compared to eternity.
Psalm 90:2 (NLT)2 Before the mountains were born, before you gave birth to the earth and the world, from beginning to end, you are God.
Psalm 39:4 (HCSB)4 “LORD, reveal to me the end of my life and the number of my days. Let me know how short-lived I am.
James 4:13-14 (HCSB)13 Come now, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will travel to such and such a city and spend a year there and do business and make a profit.”14 You don’t even know what tomorrow will bring—what your life will be! For you are ⌊like⌋ smoke that appears for a little while, then vanishes.
1 Peter 1:24 (HCSB)24 For All flesh is like grass, and all its glory like a flower of the grass. The grass withers, and the flower falls,
We are not in control of the world God is. We are not in control of our futures, God is. The only response to our problems or our condition is to be still and turn them over to God.
Psalm 46:10 (NLT)10 “Be still, and know that I am God! I will be honored by every nation. I will be honored throughout the world.”
When we see things from God’s perspective it helps to not become frustrated or angry with God and His timing. When our prayers aren’t answered the way we expect, it helps us to trust without hesitation that God knows what He is doing far better than we know how we think things should be done.
God wants us to always keep eternity in mind, because that is His perspective. When we do, it helps us to understand that “the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us”
Romans 8:18 (HCSB) For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is going to be revealed to us.
Understanding that we are limited by time and space and while God is not changes our perspective on everything...even our thanksgiving.
The following devotion by Sarah Young, urges us to view life through the lens of God’s view. That view is one of abundance. It calls for us to view life through the lens of God’s view which is one of abundance.
Giving Thanks for God's Abundance
by Sarah Young from Jesus Calling: Giving Thanks to God
Consider It
Thankfulness is a skill we can develop with practice. It’s just a matter of pausing and noticing the abundance with which God has filled our lives. We can choose to view life through the lens of deprivation (noticing everything we don’t have and worrying that there is never enough for us) or through the lens of abundance (noticing everything we do have and trusting that a good God will provide for us). Which will we choose? In this session, we’ll see what a difference it can make when we choose to view life through the lens of God’s abundance.
1. What is one thing for which you’re thankful to God?
2. How challenging would it be for you to come up with ten things for which you’re thankful? Why do you think it’s easy or hard for you?
Experience It
Read this devotion from Jesus Calling:
“Bring Me the sacrifice of thanksgiving. Take nothing for granted, not even the rising of the sun. Before Satan tempted Eve in the Garden of Eden, thankfulness was as natural as breathing. Satan’s temptation involved pointing Eve to the one thing that was forbidden her. The garden was filled with luscious, desirable fruits, but Eve focused on the one fruit she couldn’t have rather than being thankful for the many good things freely available. is negative focus darkened her mind, and she succumbed to temptation.
“When you focus on what you don’t have or on situations that displease you, your mind also becomes darkened. You take for granted life, salvation, sunshine, flowers, and countless other gifts from Me. You look for what is wrong and refuse to enjoy life until that is ‘fixed.’ When you approach Me with thanksgiving, the Light of My Presence pours into you, transforming you through and through. Walk in the Light with Me by practicing the discipline of thanksgiving.” —From Jesus Calling, April 6
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