From Heaven’s View

Perspective changes everything. A few years ago, my son and I had the opportunity to go on patrol with the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office helicopter unit. We flew over the city at night… and from the air it was breathtaking. Much different than the perspective of the city I have looking out my car window stuck in construction or rush hour traffic. Same city… different view.

Perspective changes everything. In 2008, a friend of mine gave me a book and said, “You need to read this. It really helped me through a tough time.” Now this happens to me often. I just received a 608 page book from the author who wanted me to read and review it for him “in my spare time” (!)

The title my friend handed me in 2008, was written by T.W. Hunt and titled, From Heaven’s View. It was a deep book and, at the time, one I felt unnecessary. But perspective changes everything.

And I have found myself these days very much in need of the insights in that volume. How do we manage and even find joy in times of sorrow, suffering and grief? By having the right perspective… for the Christian it is having a heavenly one.

From heaven’s view, our trials can turn to gold. Our sufferings become the “filling up of the sufferings of Christ.” Our pain and hardship become “not worthy to be compared to the glory to be revealed.” Our tears are kept in a bottle by God… not one is lost or wasted. Our time here… though moments may drag slowly by… is nothing to be compared to eternity awaiting us.

From heaven’s view, our sorrows and struggles are used to “conform us to the image of Christ.” Our suffering is not meant to crush us, but to create in us “endurance, and… endurance, hope.”

From heaven’s view, hope becomes not, “I hope so” but “I know so.” Hope is not rooted in a desired change of circumstance, but in the unchanging character of our God who is the same “yesterday, today, and forever.”

With heaven’s view, we can press on and not lose heart. Every hurt, every disappointment, every sleepless night of pain and even persecution comes not to harm us but for our good and God’s glory. (Romans 8:28). From heaven’s view, even the cross does not end in defeat… but resurrection.

From heaven’s view, all things work together… nothing is random, wasted, aimless, or amiss. From heaven’s view, though weeping comes for a night, joy comes in the morning. From heaven’s view, a perspective through our Father’s eyes and God’s sovereign throne,

…it can be well with our soul.

 

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