The word for the week is perspective. It means the way you see something.
I have spent the last few days listening to the Road to Recovery by Rick Warren. It is about the 12 Steps of recovery which Celebrate Recovery members use when changing their hurts, habits or hang ups. Life is unmanageable when we try to control it. God should be in control, but many of us play God. When we change this perspective and put God first, we become a new creation.
My second exposure was at photography camp (pun intended). We viewed pictures at eye level – the way most of us see the subject. When we shot at angles to the left or right, above or below, the picture became much more interesting. We were looking at an angle not easily noticed.
How does this relate to discipleship? Being in a small group community provides perspective; you don’t have to walk through life alone. On Tuesday night a Celebrate Recovery member gave an example of how her perspective of a hurt was changed. She experienced an incident that left her feeling guilty, angry, sad and depressed. Her perspective was changed after speaking with another member. The source of the pain was minimized and God was put back in control. Rather than dwelling on the negative, she realized she had obeyed God’s calling and prayed for the person who caused the hurt.
Being in community enables us to share burdens, but more importantly, it helps us see beyond ourselves. I want my small group to hold me accountable when my perspective veers from God. Get connected to a group today.