Perspective of Possibility
Disclaimer: I am not a mom in my current season, so whenever I get around kids, the little things they do or say or how they view the world opens my eyes to the possibilities of a different perspective.
Kids are very interesting. They have no fear of the future or shame in what they’re doing. Their verbiage is often filled with “watch this!!” or “look what I can do,” and their actions are often triumphant in tasks they have done dozens of times. Their optimism turns piles of dirt into a gourmet dish and dandelion fluffs into the fiercest blizzard you’ve ever seen.
There are no boundaries or limitations in the eyes of a child - the world is only full of possibilities. No fears, no failures, no hurts. Only possibilities. Only trust. Outfits don’t have to match, and social media feeds are non-existent. Parents are superheroes, and life is a wonderful opportunity for anything good to happen. A "no" just means there is a "yes" somewhere else, and the challenge is to find it.
“A “no” just means there is a “yes” somewhere else, and the challenge is to find it. ”
Children trust blindly, and while we may cringe in our experience of age, it may be – actually, it is – what God designed us for. To trust Him blindly. And the reason you and I cringe at that thought of trusting anything blindly (not God though, we never have any problems with that*) is because someone or some situation hurt us in our blind trust resulting in a wall that was never meant to be there.
*this was written in a sarcastic tone
Take a look at the Garden where Adam and Eve first discovered pain and shame. The trust they had in God was now behind a wall built by their own iniquities. And, while sad, odds are you may have a wall up in that area of trust, too. Trust in hope for the future, for your current struggle, or even for God to meet you where you are now. The child-like perspective of seeing a world of possibilities as diminished and skepticism has taken its place.
And don’t get me wrong here – I am not saying that you should walk around willy-nilly (yes, I did just say that) and trust anyone that walks up to you. The Bible is clear to guard your heart because all life flows from it (Proverbs 4:23). The issue comes in when the hurt we have against people turns into a barrier between God and us and limits the fullness of love we are to give and receive. To be honest with you, this is a tough thought for me to chew on personally in my life because, at times, I don't want to admit that I'm not letting God do what he needs to do, even though I might be.
“Every “no” or shut door isn’t a punishment because we weren’t good enough, it was a moment of protection and preparation. Every heartache was Him beckoning us to come and fully put our hearts in the Creator’s hands where it belongs. ”
As I sat in the grass watching the two little girls I was babysitting see the world in a whole new way than they saw it the day before, I was struck with awe and conviction. God designed us to see everything He has in that light. Every "no" or shut door isn't a punishment because we weren't good enough, it was a moment of protection and preparation. Every heartache was Him beckoning us to come and fully put our hearts in the Creator's hands where it belongs. Every wall that we have built up to protect ourselves from the outside, God never intended to be permanent around our hearts.
What would happen if we allowed our perspective to change, even just a little bit each day? What would happen if we blindly trusted God like we did before we ever knew the other side of pain? While it may seem scary to be vulnerable, that is a perspective that I want to have – a perspective of possibility. A perspective that God can do anything even if I can’t see it. He might even be trying to do your “anything” you’ve been hoping for right now.
So maybe let's get a little lower and a little closer to God to change our perspective. Let's blindly trust that our Father is still our superhero. And let's agree that while we may face pain, our trust and our hope is still rooted in who God is, and the world is full of possibilities.
I know it may hurt at first to lay down the barrier, but I also know what’s on the other side is so worth it. I’m cheering you on all the way – don’t be afraid of what your possibilities may be.