The Winds of Change

Amazingly powerful gusts of wind blow across our hilltop, drying up the melting snow and changing the landscape from solid white to barren brown in less than a day. The winds brought warm temperatures along on their gusts; so warm we opened up the doors and let the breezes blow in, which is very refreshing after a long season of being shut-up tight with furnace-blown heat.

As winds of change blow through our lives, we can find new direction in the way we look at our situations. If we are open to change, we can find ourselves with a new perspective and a more positive outlook.

We can get stuck-in-a-rut in our thinking, and sometimes it takes a refreshing breeze to open our minds to a different point of view. It may be an event that causes us to review where our lives are going, or perhaps the words of a friend spark a thought that encourages us to consider different possibilities.

When we allow God into our lives as a constant companion and friend, we invite His work in shaping our views of how to live. He gently blows an idea across our mind, and we can choose to latch onto it and ride along the breeze.

When we engage our subconscious mind with the possibility and hope of change, we open our thought processes to allow us to get out of the rut of our regular thinking. Through honoring God in the surrender of our fears and control of the details of our lives, we open our hearts to hear His voice of wisdom and guidance.

Change is never easy, but it is always good. These winds of change that blow through our lives give us direction. They save us from the patterns of our thinking that cause us to feel stuck and unable to change.  

Though it may seem difficult to escape these life-long thought patterns, opening our hearts and minds to the possibilities of change allows refreshingly new insight.  Actively engaging in a desire for change is the first step to initiating transformation in your life.

It may begin quite subtly, but when we look back in the direction of where the wind came from, we begin to see the change that has begun in us. Our path has shifted slightly, and our thinking along with it. We can view the same situation through a different perspective. And most likely, this will provide a more positive point of view.

Stay open to change, and let nature be your guide. Nothing in nature ever stays the same. It is in a constant state of growth and development and change. Nature even recycles. What was once living matter continues its usefulness to help begin new life.

Everything we have experienced in life is useful, and can be used to encourage new growth and perspective as we move forward in our lives. Don’t be afraid of change. It can be the pathway to a better understanding of yourself and your place in this world.

Hope in the Search for Peace

Do you feel frustrated by the actions of people in your life? Do the course of events in your day leave you feeling like everything is spiraling out of your control? 

Sometimes I get frustrated by the littlest things that go wrong, and I feel anger welling inside of me instead of peace. I’m certain this is reflected in my outward appearance, although I may try to hide it.

There are other times when I feel more accepting toward others and my own situation. This acceptance is so much easier to live with than feeling frustration and anger. In fact, not only do I feel more peaceful in my life, I find I am actually happy with my situation.

Nothing really is different in my surroundings or the people in my life. What has changed is my attitude and my point of view.

I have a choice to let petty disturbances invade my peace, or I can look for a positive angle to view the situation. Usually this entails using ‘God eyes’.  When I let God’s love shine through my heart, my perspective changes. I see people for the blessings they are in my life. I experience situations with more patience and I am able to respond rather than react. 

When I shift my perspective to God eyes, I have a better understanding of his will in my life.  Though circumstances may not be what I have imagined or hoped for, when I gain the perspective of God’s sovereign will over my life I know I can trust that I am exactly where He wants me to be.

And somehow realizing this brings me peace in the center of my crazy life. And this peace is an anchor that keeps me tethered to God, no matter the strength of the storms I face.

What this means to me is the reassurance that God loves me, and has a perfect plan for my life. Whatever happens, He will use a situation for good, though I may not understand how it will work. Sometimes I get a glimpse into how the pieces all fit together, and I gain a momentary clarity into His plan. This is the encouragement I need to realize He really is there is watching over me, and to trust His plan for me.

There is peace in accepting that it isn’t necessary for me to have complete understanding. I have to lean on my trust in God. For me, that has been the lesson I’ve been working on for quite awhile now. I am learning to trust more completely in Him, and the more I surrender my doubts and fears to Him, the more acceptance I have that I am right where I am supposed to be.

Perspective changes everything, and I am most at peace when I see my life through God’s eyes.