A True Reflection

I've had a sticky smudge across my bedroom mirror for a few weeks now and, in my laziness, I have just ignored it.

 

I kept forgetting it as it's only obvious when I'm sitting on my bed - I haven't really noticed it when I'm standing up at the mirror.

 

However, when I was sitting down, I couldn't really see myself properly.  I could still make myself out, but my image was blurred.  It wasn't a true reflection.

 

In the same way, my view of myself in a spiritual or emotional way is often blurred by 'smudges'.  Smudges caused by circumstances, or failures, or flaws, or doubts, or what others think of me, or even what I think others think of me.

 

They distort my image of myself.

 

And they are not a true reflection of how God sees me.

 

And sometimes they distort my image of God and His goodness and His faithfulness too.

 

Two nights ago as I sat on my bed I noticed the smudge on my mirror again, and something shifted this time; something roused me from my lazy apathy.  I got the polish and duster and vigorously cleaned the whole mirror.

 

Until I could see myself clearly.

 

In the same way, sometimes I need to give my spiritual 'mirror' a good clean to get rid of the dirt and grime that stops me from seeing myself the way that God does.

 

The Bible is clear about how precious and loved we are in God's sight, in spite of our faults and failings.  Paul writes,

"God chose you to be the holy people he loves."

[Colossians 3:12 NLT]

 

And Zephaniah describes God's love and delight in us -

 

          "He will take delight in you with gladness.
          With his love, he will calm all your fears.
          He will rejoice over you with joyful songs."

 

          [Zephaniah 3:17 NLT]

 

 

This is how I want to see myself.  This is what I want to see and know and believe when I look in the mirror.  I want to see myself the way God does.  But sometimes, in order to do that, we need to take a good long look at the mirror and give it a good clean first.

 

 

 

View Points

At the beach yesterday and again today, I spotted something that I had completely forgotten existed: the old-fashioned viewfinder.

Simply pay a modest 20p (and what else can you get these days for 20p?)
and you can use the telescope to take in the view around you and zoom in on interesting scenery/landmarks/people etc.

It gives you a different perspective on the same view.

Another point of view.

It helps us to see things which we would otherwise struggle to see.

In the same way, God's word can give us a different perspective on our lives. It can help us to see the unseeable, to zoom in on the smaller details, which we would otherwise miss.

Paul said,

"We live by faith and not by sight."
[2 Corinthians 5:7 NIV]

We live, not by what we can see and understand or by what we can perceive, but by trusting God and seeking His perspective. By seeking His view of things and by asking Him to show us things which we can't see. And most of all, by trusting that there is more to see.

"Keep your eyes open for God, watch for His works;
Be alert for signs of His presence."
[Psalm 105:4 MSG]

Use the Bible as your viewfinder, to bring your world into focus. And keep your 20p.