When I decorate cookies, I start out feeling excited as I envision the final product. I work with laser focus on the finite details of each cookie. Hours later, as I stand back and look at my finished work, there’s only one thing I see: the imperfections on a few. Let me rephrase that: I zero in on the decorating that does not appear as pretty as I would have liked. Because of the few messed up cookies, I decide that the entire batch is ruined. I lose sight of the project as a whole which really did turn out very well.
Honestly, I feel like this has been the story of my life these past few months. I found myself becoming stuck on the details which had gone wrong, that I lost sight of the big picture which really had gone right.
Maybe you can relate:
-You just had a disagreement with your spouse. You’ve both been so upset with each other that you feel as if you can’t move forward.
-Your child is in the process of making an unwise choice. You feel as if your years of parenting are just going up in smoke.
-Your project at work didn’t turn out as successful as you had hoped. You are now wondering if you are in the right career.
Now, let’s zoom out of each scenario:
-This isn’t the first disagreement in your marriage and it won’t be your last. God has given each of you grace and love for each other to share a beautiful marriage.
-Your child is as human as you are. Remember how many mistakes you made as a kid? But they’re a gift from God who you treasure deeply. They have certainly shown glimpses that they’re catching what you’ve been imparting.
-There’s a learning curve with work, isn’t there? Success doesn’t just come overnight. But you’ve been able to work on things you only dreamed of and you love what you do.
What a difference when we look at the big picture versus focus on the minute details! The only way we can zoom out is by “focusing our eyes on Jesus, who is the Author and Perfecter of faith” (Hebrews 12:2 AMP). Then, “Trust in and rely confidently on the Lord with all your heart and do not rely on your own insight or understanding.” (Proverbs 3:5 AMP)
Praying you experience God’s joy as you look at the beautiful big picture.
~Joyce
*Photo credit: Unsplash
