There’s a man I know who ventures to the library day after day. Instead of applying for jobs like he plans, he reads the paper instead. There’s a woman I know who’s been divorced, exiled from her family, and is both childless and bitter, though she desires otherwise. While both of these people want something, they act against themselves. They figure nothing in their life is going to change, why continue trying?
We’ve all been there, going through the motions of life and not seeing the fruits of our labor. We ask ourselves the same question. Why continue trying?
A broken perspective is like a broken mirror. Not just shattered, but confusing and incomplete. A broken perspective is like looking through a fog. Even when we think we know what’s on the other side, we’re never exactly right. Our fears, our doubts, and our suffering are all reasons we end up this way. No matter who we are, at one point or another, we will struggle with a broken perspective.
Motivation is replaced with fatigue. Hope gives way to despair. And fear replaces trust. Rather than seeing God, we see circumstances. Rather than seeing the good, we only see the bad. We become certain of our misfortunes and doubtful of any positive change. With this perspective we act accordingly, and create a self-fulfilling prophecy.
Is there a way to fix a broken perspective? Just like repairing a broken mirror, there is, and just like wading through a fog, what we find on the other side can come as a pleasant surprise.
Here are six ways to fix a broken perspective.
1.Read Scripture
“I say, then, walk by the Spirit and you will certainly not carry out the desire of the flesh.” (Galatians 5:16)
The first way to fix a broken perspective is to read Scripture. Sin, whether our own or from others, clouds our judgment, and is only able to lead us away from God when we are not being led by the Spirit. The same applies to unfortunate circumstances. We lose track of God when we are not firmly rooted in Him. By engaging ourselves with Scripture, we remind ourselves of truth.
We remember that seasons of suffering don’t mean God doesn’t love us. We recall that suffering doesn’t always last. We find hope for a future, despite a potentially bleak present.
Scripture gives us many examples of believers before us, like Job, who, for a time, had a broken perspective. He suffered but overcame and learned from his tribulation. His story and many others like it can serve to encourage us too.
2.Seek Counsel
“A fool’s way is right in his own eyes, but whoever listens to counsel is wise.” (Proverbs 12:15)
Sometimes what a broken perspective requires is the wisdom of a trusted confidant. We may know a lot, but we will never know everything. That means when faced with certain circumstances in life, we will need to consult other people for advice. Other believers can give you the counsel and accountability to help you make choices that aren’t just smart, but also honor God.
3.Pray
“Don’t worry about anything, but in everything, through prayer and petition with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.” (Philippians 4:6)
If there’s anything we Christians ought to do every day throughout the day, that is pray. That means praying when things are going well, going poorly, and praying even when we’d rather not. The more in touch we can be in communicating with God, the less often that broken perspective will take root in our minds. And when we are tempted to think negatively, praying to God frequently is sure to test the veracity of those bad thoughts.
4.Pray A Lot
“Pray constantly.” (1 Thessalonians 5:17)
Even when you think you’ve got the whole idea of prayer down, the truth is, most of us don’t. We’re quicker to share something with a friend than we are with God. A deep and intimate prayer life ensures we are connected to God, more so than anyone else in our lives. If you consider yourself a master of prayer, there’s likely still more to learn. You may think you pray a lot, but you can always pray more.
5.Good Habits
“Do not be conformed to this age, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may discern what is the good, pleasing, and perfect will of God.” (Romans 12:2)
Even when the sky is falling down, good habits keep us centered on God. A bad perspective can often tempt us to sin as a means of coping, especially when we don’t think God is on our side. Good habits tell us that no matter how we feel, there is something helpful we can do in the meantime while we wait for change in circumstance.
Good habits include prayer, reading, exercise, serving others, anything that is God-honoring.
6.Seek Change
“A person’s heart plans his way, but the Lord determines his steps.” (Proverbs 16:9)
We can pray for a better perspective and wait for one to take root, but we should also work for one as well. Much like waiting for a spouse or a good job to find us, we have to be proactive in the search, an engaged participant rather than a watchful bystander.
God is indeed for us, but if we want Him to work in our lives, then we need to work with Him, living a life that He desires from us. There’s no use in asking God for something that we ourselves are not willing to work towards. Then if He gave us the desired thing, without the right perspective, how would we treat it?
Conclusion
While God tells us how to think and how to live, our sinful nature says otherwise. With free will, we have to make a choice. Do we allow circumstances to dominate our way of thinking, or will God? Do we choose to live life with a broken perspective, or will we instead pick up and fix the broken pieces?
Whether you are waiting on that spouse, or that job, or that child, or that anything, a perspective focused on God won’t do anything but help you.
Photo Credit: ©Getty Images/AndreyPopov
Aaron D'Anthony Brown is a freelance writer, hip-hop dance teacher, and visual artist, living in Virginia. He currently contributes to Salem Web Network’s Crosswalk platform and supports various clients through the freelancing website Upwork. He's an outside-the-box thinker with a penchant for challenging the status quo.
Get in touch with him at aarondanthony.com and check out his debut short story anthology Honey Dreams on Amazon and Barnes and Noble.