White, puffy clouds billowed like fluffy mounds of whipped cream at my feet. At my feet? Yes, I was looking down on the banks of clouds from my window seat in the airplane. Seeing fluffy white clouds below with brilliant blue sky above is always a mind-bending experience for me.

These same clouds, if viewed from below, would have looked entirely different. Clouds above us block the sun, while clouds below us hide the earth’s landscape. Yet, the clouds themselves have not changed; only our perspective has changed.

So it is in everyday life. The same object or experience can be viewed from many different angles and positions, with the vantage point determining its appearance. Variables such as time, age, place, and even simply personal preference can determine how people perceive things. For example, young people may love pop music, but as they grow older, their taste in music may change to more mellow styles. One person may love cilantro, while another may find the taste to be repulsive.

In addition, people can hold very different ideas and points of view. Today’s world, with all of its current upheaval, is sometimes termed as being upside-down. This is especially obvious as we see the same issue interpreted in much different ways, depending on a person’s political persuasion. Political positions can vary greatly from person to person, and an individual’s own positions can sometimes fluctuate. Even our doctrinal positions may vary, and they may even change over time.

It is important to recognize that our view of life may be very different from the way that God views things. Whereas God sees the whole issue, we may see only one side of it, not knowing other facets that are involved. Furthermore, God tells us how very different His thoughts and ways are from ours:

“‘My thoughts are nothing like your thoughts,’ says the Lord. ‘And my ways are far beyond anything you could imagine. For just as the heavens are higher than the earth, so my ways are higher than your ways and my thoughts higher than your thoughts.'” (Isaiah 55:8-9 NLT)

When life becomes difficult and we become discouraged or even distraught, it is vital to entrust God with the situation, knowing that He is fully aware of all the details. He will weave the ragged edges together and ultimately form a completed piece. Will you fully trust Him with the problems that you’re facing today?

Prayer: O Lord, Maker of heaven and earth, You have also made us and know everything about our sometimes fragmented lives. You know us top to bottom, inside and out. May we trust You completely to guide us through our upside-down world. Amen.

Copyright © 2022, by Gail Lundquist <gail10833@gmail.com>, first published on the PresbyCan Daily Devotional presbycan.ca .
Beaverton, Oregon, USA

Reprinted from PresbyCan with author’s permission