I love to journal; it’s how I process each day, write down what’s on my heart, and remember the Scriptures God teaches me.

This week as I was making a list in my journal of several things on my mind (some health-related, job-related, family-related, financial decisions and goals, etc) I came across the story in Matthew 16.

Peter had just been praised by Jesus in verses 16-17:

”Simon Peter answered, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.” Jesus replied, “You are blessed, Simon son of John, because my Father in heaven has revealed this to you. You did not learn this from any human being.“ (NLT)

Peter spoke based on something God the Father showed him, not any human being.

Unfortunately, only 5 verses later the opposite is happening. As Jesus tells the disciples about His upcoming suffering and death, see how Peter replies in verses 22-23:

”But Peter took him aside and began to reprimand him for saying such things. “Heaven forbid, Lord,” he said. “This will never happen to you!” Jesus turned to Peter and said, “Get away from me, Satan! You are a dangerous trap to me. You are seeing things merely from a human point of view, not from God’s.”“ (NLT)

Poor Peter. My heart goes out to him at times. I can relate. How often do I see something from God’s perspective only to turn around in the next minute and look at things merely from a human point of view.

I looked back through my journal list of 13-14 things on my mind… some involving decisions to be made, all involving a wide range of feelings: worry, excitement, nervousness, uncertainty, even wrestling with feelings of failure in certain areas.

I circled how many on the list I felt like I was looking at from God’s perspective compared with merely a human point of view.

Only two.

Yikes.

And it was the two topics NOT consuming my mind as much as the others.

This is why I love the Lord, and I love my times with Him each day. This particular day I was on my bench outside (encouraged by some beautiful weather lately), coffee in hand, just taking time to let Him teach me from His Word. And He is always faithful to do so. To change me. To help me realign with His perspective when my own point of view starts to take over.

Maybe the things I feel like a failure in right now are God’s way of teaching me humility, of putting me through the Refiner’s Fire until I can stop getting depressed and discouraged and instead reflect Christ even when things don’t go how i think it would be best for my own comfort and success.

The things that worry me seem smaller when I look at the same concerns from a godly perspective, especially the perspective of eternity. The things that are most important are things that will last: Sharing Jesus and praying for people to receive His forgiveness and new life in Christ.

What about you? What in your life right now might you need a fresh perspective on from God’s point of view?

Thank You Jesus for Your faithfulness to help get me back on track when I start to look at life from merely a human point of view instead of Yours. Focus us all more fully on Your priorities today instead of our own. Amen.

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