There’s an old saying that goes, “Perception is reality.” I’m uncertain that is unequivocally true, but I know your perspective will define your reality. If we look at life through the lens of the media and the culture, we will see the world the way they paint it for us. But if we look at the world through God’s eyes, we will see it as He created it to be. We will see a beauty that is no longer visible to the naked eye.
Besides the beauty, we will also see the peace of God. I guarantee you won’t find either of those things on social media or the 24×7 news cycle. We need to lift our focus above the lies, the noise, and the fear. Instead, we need to focus on Jesus and build out our perspective from there.
In this world, we desperately need God’s perspective. Without it, all we will see is evil, violence, and fear. The news thrives on keeping us addicted to such soul-crushing stories. The apostle Paul admonished us to focus on things that were pure, beautiful, just, honorable, and commendable (Philippians 4:8). When was the last time your social media feed was full of those types of things? So, we must choose between consuming what God tells us we should, or what the world is feeding us.
John instructs us that whoever loves the things of this world does not love God (I John 2:15). You might say you don’t love all the evil and fear being spread around, but then why do you give it all your time and energy? If you don’t love feeding your mind with things contrary to the Word of God, why are you letting it rob you of time better spent in God’s presence and with your family and those you say you love?
Your perspective will shape and define your world. What has your attention has your heart. None of us can escape the truth that what we focus on will become what we obsess over. We must choose between God and this world, faith and fear, fruit and frustration. As you can see, no sane person wants their lives to be about what the world is selling. Only the most disillusioned or mentally ill desire to dwell in fear, evil, and despair. The fingerprint of God that is inside us all desperately craves more. We want life as God intends for it to be.
Brothers and sisters, living life through the lens of God’s love and mercy was never meant to be optional, but we have made it so today. In a world bathed in fear, where are you finding your hope? Where are you finding the truth? And in whom or what are you placing your faith? God’s design for humanity is for us to worship and bring glory to Him. We’ve gotten so far off track, I think most of us forget that.
Followers of Jesus are never outmanned, outgunned, or outmaneuvered. We have God with us. We are never defeated and never alone. And we never have any reason to feel fear. God has not given us a spirit of timidity, but one of power and love (2 Timothy 1:7). With that as our perspective, we can and must live a life without fear, a life consumed by and focused on our Creator. Don’t buy what the world is selling. Don’t even give it a thought. Change your perspective to match that of your Creator’s. Live in His power and His love.