Try These Shoes On For Size

As you may have noticed, there's been a bit of a black cloud hovering over our house for the past couple of weeks.  Nothing major.  No huge catastrophes.  Just a sense of frustration and fatigue over things that just don't seem to want to pull together.  You know, that feeling where you expect you should be further along or better off, yet that reality still seems so far out of reach.  And oddly enough, the disappointment hit Jason much harder than it hit me.  Unfortunately, I'm not very adept at pulling him out of the blues and, more often than not, I end up sinking in right behind him.  Such has been the case for the past few weeks.

However, that dark cloud was blown away last night when we heard the testimony of a missionary that was having some truly troubling circumstances.  Yes, I said a missionary.  You know, God's messenger.  A faithful servant.  One who is living out his life to further the reach of the Gospel.  Yet, his troubles were nearly unbelievable.  Job loss.  Financial disaster.  Destruction of property.  Ejected from his home.  The more he revealed, the more I squirmed.  Here I was bemoaning my current state in life while this man had lost nearly everything.  Suddenly, my sources of frustration and disappointment seemed insignificant.

Perspective.  Boy, it sure can make a difference!  For weeks now, Jason and I have been in that "poor pitiful me" frame of mind that led us to believe that our troubles were so much worse than anyone else's, especially among God's people.  But, yesterday, it was as if God whispered to me, "Here, Dana, try these shoes on for size."  And you know what?  I don't want to.  I have no desire to trade places with that poor missionary.  No, thank you!  I'd much rather stay right where I am.  After all, it's really not all that bad, especially when compared to what others are going through.

I have no idea what troubles you may be facing today, and I know better than to tell you that they're menial or insignificant.  After all, what seems like a molehill to one could seem like a mountain to another.  So, I understand that your troubles are big to you, really, I do.  But I urge you  to walk a few steps in the shoes of someone who is worse off than you.  You don't have to go far.  In fact, I'm pretty sure you won't want to.  But after those few steps, I guarantee you'll see your own problems from a completely different perspective and what once seemed like such a huge obstacle now doesn't seem quite so bad.

Perspective.  It can change one's outlook on life.  No doubt about it!  So I ask you, how do those shoes feel now?

And having food and raiment let us be therewith content. - I Timothy 6:8