@powertochange:

Devotional – Shift Your Perspective

From Leonard Buhler

November 29, 2011

“Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. Set your mind on things above, not on earthly things.” (Colossian 3:1-2)

Do you feel pressured to do more for God? Many of us do. Deep-down we know that our lives should be about serving God – that they should matter in an eternally significant way. But our days are so full. Work, school, family, sports, errands, gardening – we look at everything we have going on and even though it seems impossible to fit more in, we feel like we should. We should be doing more for God. We should be volunteering at a soup kitchen, or helping out with the Alpha Course at church, or leading a mens’ group.

I need to shift my perspective more than I need to shift my schedule. “Set your hearts on things above… Set your mind on things above, not on earthly things.” Paul is encouraging the believers in Colosse to see the world in a new way, to look at everything from the vantage point of heaven. Yes, I could try to cram more into my insanely busy life. Or, I could take Paul’s advice and shift my perspective.

Imagine what a difference this profound but simple shift could make! We would begin to see every human encounter from a spiritual viewpoint. Every stranger we bump into, every business meeting we attend, every customer we serve, every buddy we play hockey with would become an opportunity to express the love of Jesus. We would begin to live a life that’s not about ourselves, but a life that’s about the people around us.

Take stock of your life. Maybe you have plenty of time and energy to spare, and God is calling you to do something new for Him. But maybe your schedule feels packed. Ask God to help you look at your life with a new perspective – His perspective. Let Him show you the needs and the opportunities that surround you all the time. Then experience the incredible joy of joining Him in what He’s already doing.

Prayer: God, I want my life to count for you. Help me to set my mind and heart on heavenly things. Help me to see every minute of my day and every encounter I have from your perspective. Help me to shift my focus from myself to You and the people around me. Give me the courage and the faith to share Jesus – in word and in deed – with everyone I meet. Amen.