What is perspective? It is the way a person views a particular situation or circumstance. People generally cannot control all situations and circumstances they may find themselves in but they can always control their perspective.
In 1 Thessalonians 5:18 Paul reminds us “in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.” I realize when we go through trials and tribulations it is difficult to be thankful. Although we may not be thankful for the difficult times we go through we can be thankful that Jesus is right there going through them with us. We have a limited view or vision. We can only see what is going on in the present and immediately around us. Jesus sees the rainbow at the end of the storm. He sees our tomorrows and how we are being shaped by our todays.
Corrie Ten Brown and her sister Betsie are great examples how to be thankful even in the midst of a great tribulation. They were Christians imprisoned by the Nazis for hiding Jews. The section of the concentration camp where they were imprisoned had an infestation of fleas. The girls agreed to be thankful for everything including the fleas.
Later when more prisoners were added to the camp with Corrie and Betsie they began a Bible study. The Bible study was able to go on without interruption from the guards. It was strange to Corrie and Betsie that the guards never patrolled their particular section of the camp. In the previous camp where Corrie and Betsie were imprisoned, guards patrolled the area regularly which hindered Bible study. At this new camp the guards never came in to check on the prisoners.
Later Corrie and Betsie discovered that the guards knew the place was infested with fleas and refused to enter that section of the camp. The flea infestation had enabled this group of prisoners to have Bible study time. Corrie and Betsie could have reacted to the flea infestation by complaining or simply having a bad attitude. Instead, they decided to be thankful. It’s a good thing they were thankful because those fleas ended up being a blessing.
Charles Swindoll is credited with the following quote, “I am convinced that life is 10 percent what happens to me and 90 percent how I react to it.” How do you react when you face trials? Do you give thanks or do you complain?
Remember we do not go through trials and tribulations alone. We don’t go through anything alone.