Set Your Sight

I flew into Chicago recently and was struck by the sight of the sun as the plane rose above the clouds.  

There is something comforting in the brightness of that golden star from the vantage point of an airplane window.  I turned my head and soaked in the warmth. The pressures of life dissipated if only for a few moments. 

I felt renewed in my soul simply because I grasped for a moment the difference between what is seen and what was hidden from view. I grabbed my phone and snapped a photo hoping to remember the moment for days to come.

As the plane dipped below the clouds I was surprised by the stark change. I tried to capture the difference while wrestling with the contrast.   

I was saddened for the city’s residents who were awakening to the bleariness of the grey, cloudy sky.  

I wanted to shout out to them, “Its okay, the sun is shining up above! Don’t let this dreariness get you down!“  I knew my shouting would be pathetic and not well received. I thought of how often I fail to understand when someone else is painting a picture for me from their own experiences.

The flight that day caused me to realize even more how surroundings impact our mood. How our ability to face the highs and lows head on has as much to do with our character as they do with our viewpoint.  I wrestle with my own inadequacies in light of life’s challenges by letting my very limited viewpoint dictate my reaction. It isn’t that I want to walk around with my head in the clouds ignoring what’s going on. Rather, I want to remember always how God has a better view.

I long to cling to what He knows and settle into His foresight. How incredible would life be for all of us if we would keep the “above the clouds” view with its beauty, warmth, and strength rather than our “below the clouds” one?

Today I'm shouting to the world, “It’s okay, the SON is shining up above! Don’t let life’s dreariness get you down!”

Which view will you cling to today? I hope you'll set your sight on things above.