The Power of Perspective....

  So I started reading this book about cognitive brain therapy the other day, and although I'm not too sure what I think about "the power of positive thinking" that it preaches, I'm starting to realize the importance of perspective!  For example, this year has been such a roller coaster for me in terms of my faith.  I've been up, I've been down, and I've been every where in between in it....and although I've never once questioned if there is a God, I've questioned his church, his people, his means, his character, his goodness,etc.  And Although I am thankful that I am in a place with God where I have no problem bringing my questions and feelings to him in complete honesty, today I began thinking if really my questions were based more on how I perceive God and not really on who he actually is! 

  Take the question of his goodness for example.  Over the past several weeks I've questioned how can God be "good" if there is so much "bad" in the world?  I mean, I know there's sin, and the effects of sin.....but watching my friends deal with sickness and diseases, reading about orphans and the AIDS epidemic, and even seeing all the devastation that hit the east coast during last weekends hurricane, it's hard to comprehend a good God who just sits back and lets it happen!  Then today I was sitting in my church service, listening to the sermon, and I began to think....maybe the fact that God allows this all to happen without killing us all is a sign of his goodness!  I mean, I'm a bit of a control freak, but if I were God and created this whole world, then had to watch as it turned into shambles, sent my son to save it, and still there is all this pain and suffering and hurt and evil.....I think I might just want to throw in the towel and start over new...again!  But thankfully God is NOT me....and realizing it's his Mercy that saves me every moment of every day.....kind gives me a new perspective on his goodness!  So maybe there is something to the power... of perspective at least!