Six things I need to do immediately to keep things in perspective.

Some things about my work have become a bit too pedestrian. Ways that I used to see God’s hand unmistakably at work have recently felt ... (I hate to say the word) ... routine. New project opportunities. Bits of wisdom and advice. Unsolicited moments of encouragement. Advancements and accomplishments of our team. The creativity of our work. Invoices out, income in.

As I’ve reflected on this the past few days, I’ve come to the realization that God is no less at work, but I’m much less attentive. I need to return to a posture of amazement! But how? 

Here are six things I need to do immediately to keep things in perspective:

  1. Lift my eyes and look for God at work. See each movement within and around me as a possible God-orchestrated activity. 
  2. Dive deeper into God’s Word to reveal or refresh my understanding of God’s promises.
  3. Return to our simple business plan: Pray for work. Pray for help. Remember that both come from God.
  4. Focus on my relationships and look for God at work in each of them – with family, friends and our team. And I especially need to focus on my relationship with God. 
  5. Look back. It is said that before modern navigation, one of the ways sailors could tell if they were going straight in a fog is to look back at the wake. God has been faithful. I need to remember where God has brought me.
  6. Go outside and look at Creation. This is where God first broke through my hard heart. There came a point at which I could not deny that a flower, hand-picked berries, and even my own hands must have been created by God – and not by chance. Creation is amazing.

Perhaps this post is, as my friend Brad told me this week, simply a matter of “confession is good for the soul.” If so, thanks for listening. But just perhaps, you’ve lost your amazement as well. Maybe your perspective has become too commonplace. If so, then I’ll chalk my writing and your reading up to a beautifully God-orchestrated moment that will help restore amazement to both of us.  

What do you think?