Heart Choices: What's Your Perspective on Life? -->

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What's Your Perspective on Life?


What's your general perspective on life?  Do you look through the lens that sees the glass as half empty or half full?

I used to pump myself up each morning on my way to work.  I was dealing with heart patients who weren't usually feeling the best.  I needed to motivate them to make healthier lifestyle choices.  So many of them were depressed after suffering a heart attack or health issues they hadn't counted on.

And change can be so very hard!

So I would listen to Zig Ziglar tapes in my car.  Zig is a motivational speaker who influenced me greatly.  I needed to have a can-do attitude and he certainly helped me get through those days.

But life happens.  And life can be challenging.  I've experienced hard times personally.  I've had days when I didn't know what would happen next.  I usually have a perspective that the glass is half full. But when you get hit by hard things again and again, it can be difficult to maintain that positive attitude.

I recently came out of work to find my windshield had been shattered.  As I was driving home, I felt so depressed.  We had cut back on our auto insurance and I didn't have windshield replacement coverage. Fortunately, things worked out and the windshield was replaced.

But now as I look back at this photo, it gave me a thought about perspective.  I could focus on the windshield which would be understandable.  But check out the view past the shattered windshield.  The mountains are gorgeous on my drive back and forth to work.  There's even a cutout on Camelback Mountain called the Praying Monk.

As I've gone through personal trials, my perspective on this life has been changing.

  • I'm learning to trust God more and more.  
  • I'm beginning to walk more by faith and less by sight.
  • I realize that this life is temporary.
  • I know how the story really ends and God wins.
So as a result, I begin to live out what I believe.  I can have courage.  I can have an eternal perspective which provides me with hope.

1 Corinthians 4:17-18 says:
"For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all.  So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen.  For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal."


So how's your perspective?  Are life's challenges getting you down? Can you lift up your eyes and focus on God's purpose in the midst of the trials?

Blessings and love,

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Debbie Petras
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9 comments:

  1. This post was such an encouragement to me today; just what I needed to hear....You are so right in that we have to look beyond the circumstances and see the beauty God is creating in our lives.....Thank you sweet friend...

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  2. Amen...I seem to be more of half empty these days. We received our check to help us catch up on past due bills and within two hours of the check being deposited my husband's car broke down on the side of the road. He had to have it towed and repaired..there went the money to get caught up.

    On side says...yea! you had the money...which is totally true...the other side whined, will we ever have enough??? I struggled between the two voices. The truth is God is still on the throne, even when my emotions don't line up with His truth.

    So I am there with you...and I too am asking God to change my perspective, because to be honest, I can't do it...I need the Holy Spirit to take over.

    Blessings...and so glad your windshield was fixed!!

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  3. I have always been a half full glass kind of person. Life is hard and how we choose to see events in our lives can determine the outcome. I used to listen to Zig, too. Haven't thought of him in a long time.
    Love~

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  4. You're absolutely right: we ARE on the same wavelength!

    I find the most difficult space to manage is the one between my ears. When I keep my eyes on Him, it's odd how quiet is my soul. When I keep my eyes on "that thing" ... well, let's just say I'm not always very nice :)

    Hugs,
    Kathleen

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  5. Oh Debbie can I ever identify with this post. I have always been the glass is half full kind of gal, but sometimes life just gets soo heavy it is just so hard to do. Recently I have had to have my first prayer of the morning be for the Lord to control my mind on that day. Otherwise it can be soo easy to slip into despair and focus on all that is wrong in our worlds. But I do know from experience that it only makes our load heavier. You have some great prospective, and I am right there with you. We are only passing through. Soo glad your windshield got fixed. Your view IS gorgeous btw. Hugs to you!

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  6. Isn't it wonderful that when we have the right attitude, we always have that choice to see the not so pleasant things and turn them into opportunities for us to learn instead and see the "positive".

    I learned so much from the prison sister as I never had that much of a knowledge either about street drugs being an Ortho nurse before. Thanks for your prayers. Praying for you, too as you also do an important ministry with the children and continuing to encourage us here in this blog land. God bless you always and protect you. May the Lord help us see things through His eyes.

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  7. Debbie, what a great post, so honest and true, and from reading all the other comments your experience resonates with us all.

    I have always been a glass half full person, but over the last couple of years, the knocks of life, had changed me to 'half empty' and I did not like it.

    I thank God that as I continually, inquired of Him, He has changed my atitude, by helping me to see things from His perspective. This change of atitude is truly transforming my life, one step at a time, and I cannot stop rejoicing in the change in me.

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  8. I am making a conscientious effort to choose to thank God for every day's interruptions. Those little stinkers can sure suck the joy out life! So glad you were able to get that windshield fixed! You have beautiful views on that drive!

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  9. How encouaging, especially the shattered window with the mountains in the view shot. We can chose how we look at things, can't we?
    You bless so many with your positive attitude. God bless you my dear friend.

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I love to read your comments! I know you have something to share so join in the conversation. And thank you for taking the time.

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