While traveling, we had to delay our plans one day because of the weather, so we took a drive to a nearby town along the shores of Lake Superior. The rain was steady, and I didn’t realize how close we were until a wall of wind hit us. I looked to the right of the truck and saw a lot of standing water. It was almost up to the road and clearly higher than normal. A dock was nearly completely submerged. A fishing boat rocked from side to side as the wind blew. I made a comment about the effects of the storm, then I glanced to the left truck window and realized what I was seeing was only a snapshot. We we right beside Lake Superior, and the effects of the storm were much more dramatic on it.

I focused on a snapshot, while all I had to do is shift my perspective to see the bigger picture. Even then, my perspective was limited. I wondered,

How many times does God make a broader perspective available to me, but I don’t realize it because of my focus, distractions, laziness, or stubbornness?

I know we can’t fully have God’s perspective. I could shift from seeing pooling, overflowing water to the massive water and waves of a large lake, but I couldn’t see all of the lake, all the the Great Lakes, the weather patterns across the U.S., and so on. I’m limited. But there’s a difference between my limitations because of what I can and can’t process and my limitations because I’m not willing to process.

Sometimes I like when God broadens my perspective…when I experience it as positive, because I get a bigger glimpse of His beauty, comfort, peace, and provision. But when God broadens my perspective to see overwhelming needs, hurt, potential pain, and loss, I’m not as willing to ask Him for the panoramic view. However, just as I saw His power, presence, and provision through the big view of the water that day, I can see Him in every panoramic view, whether I experience it as positive and negative. Because of who He is and His investment in life, I can see all panoramic views as positive in the sense that I get to see Him. I may not understand or enjoy every view, but as long as He’s in it, it is good. Good by His definition, not mine.