“Where were you when I laid the earth’s foundation? Tell me, if you understand. Who marked off its dimensions? Surely you know! Who stretched a measuring line across it? On what were its footings set, or who laid its cornerstone—while the morning stars sang together and all the angels shouted for joy?” (Job 38:4-7)
Perspective is awfully important in life, isn’t it? In the case of Job, God decided to give him a new perspective. Instead of being consumed with the issues he was facing and the trials that were plaguing him, God gave job a different perspective. Where was Job when God created the earth? Did Job ever command the sun to rise and set? Did he put the heavenly bodies in the sky? Of course not! God wanted Job to look at the world differently.
I’ve often heard it said, “the more I know, the more I know I don’t know.” I’m guessing that was true for Job when God finally spoke to him.
So often, it’s from our lack of knowledge that we make assumptions and draw conclusions about the world around us.
But God wanted something different for Job – He wanted to Job to see the world through His lens. All of the sudden, the problems he was facing weren’t quite as monumental as they felt. The same is true for me when I put my problems in perspective with eternity. I’m not saying they aren’t important (or that God even views them as unimportant), but in the light of eternity they sure look different.
God, sometimes my problems seem so incredibly big. In truth, they’re not so big that you can’t handle them. Help me to keep the perspective of my problems in line with the reality of eternity. Help me to remember that I serve a big God who loves me very much. And then give me the courage to hand my problems to you.
Seth, it said in your prayer…. “God give me the courage to hand my problems to you.”
When my problems are put into perspective for me, I struggle giving Him my problems because mine seem so insignificant that I don’t want to bother Him.
Diana, I certainly know what you mean – our problems do seem insignificant sometimes compared to the problems of others. Having said that, I believe that a loving, earthly father would take interest in the concerns of his children regardless of how insignificant they may seem. I believe our perfect, heavenly Father takes a similar approach to us. 1 Peter 5:7 says that we should cast all of our anxieties on God because He cares for us. Thanks for your comment, and I hope that helps!