Seeing God In The View - By Lisa Bracewell
There's something about a beautiful view that makes us stop.
Whether it's the changing colours of the seasons, a dramatic sky, or my personal favourite — standing on the summit of a fell and seeing the perfectly carved valleys merge into each other below — Creation has a way of drawing our attention away from ourselves.
The weather can change the view, and our perspective, too. A bright blue sky allows us to see for miles; small, patchy shadows caused by high clouds can make the areas illuminated by beams of sunlight look marvellous. However, sometimes the sky can change quickly, becoming dark and heavy with rain, or thick with fog. Sometimes, you reach the summit and you're clagged in; visibility is poor, and it can be hard to see anything.
And sometimes, life can be like that.
There are seasons in life when everything feels bright and full of possibilities. We can see our next steps clearly, we know where we're going, and we're thankful for the views ahead. Then there are the cloudy seasons, when we might not be able to see what comes next. Circumstances can feel uncertain, difficult or overwhelming, and it's hard to imagine that the view will ever change.
But the landscape remains the same, whether we can see it or not. Just as the views are still there when the clouds obscure them, God is still present even when we can't see Him clearly.
The weather changes, but God does not.
We may experience different seasons in our lives, but God remains constant. His love doesn't disappear when life becomes difficult, His promises don't change just because we can't see what He is doing, and His presence isn't dependent on whether we feel close to Him.
Sometimes, we simply need to change our perspective. A view that looks bleak and grey on a rainy morning can look completely different once the sun breaks through. The landscape hasn't changed, but the way we see it has.
Prayer can do the same for us. It may not always immediately change our circumstances, but it can change the way we see them. It can remind us that we are not alone in the clag.
“I lift up my eyes to the mountains — where does my help come from? My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth.” — Psalm 121:1–2
The next time the view isn't what we'd hoped, remember: the weather will change, the view will change, but God remains faithful through every season. And we can trust Him with whatever comes next.
