The God Filter

As usual, I'm going to talk about something that is so fundamental to most of you mature Christians out there that I almost feel silly talking about it. But God puts these things in my mind I think for a reason, and He doesn't let go of me until I obey and write about it. Plus, I still don't consider myself in the real mature Christian category, so this is one of those things that, even though I've heard it a million times, I'm just now starting to really learn and apply to my own life.

I'm talking about the God filter. You know, that lens that you look through in order to help you sort out what is important and what is not. We all have worries and problems in our everyday lives, but when viewed through the God filter, most of them vanish like a wisp of smoke. When things aren't going that well at work, when I think I may even lose my job, I look through the God filter and it just doesn't matter. Through faith, I know that God controls my destiny and that includes my job. Looked at this way, losing a job can actually be kind of exciting. Not that I want to lose my job, cause I don't. Not that I will stop doing my best at my work because I must, as I work as if I am working for the Lord Himself (and I am).

The stock market may tank tomorrow and we may lose every penny of our retirement fund. Oh my gosh, how will we survive in our old age? So, I put on my God filter and suddenly I know that we will be just fine. Who knows, maybe we will be whisked up to be with Jesus before retirement age ( a very likely scenario) and those retirement funds will not be needed anyway. I need new carpet for the house, need to fix the fence, need to repair some holes in the wall from the plumber's excavation to fix a slab leak a year ago, and on and on. Can't afford any of that. My friends are all renovating and getting all new everything. Should I worry? Should I be envious? When I look through the God filter, which includes reading my Bible and many passages telling me specifically not to worry and not to be envious, it's pretty obvious the answer is no. But more importantly, it's about faith in a God and Savior and Friend who I now know without a doubt loves me more than anyone on this earth is capable of loving me and who says "I know the plans I have for you.... plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future" (Jeremiah 29:11).

The love I talked about in my last post changes everything. When I really believe in that love, I put everything through the God filter and nothing can cause me to tremble in fear. "For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord" (Romans 8:39-39). That love filters everything I do and think now. Occasionally I still stumble and let the world get me down. But it doesn't last as long anymore. I have let Jesus eyes be my own eyes, his ears be my own ears and His heart be my own heart. One cannot see through His eyes, hear with His ears and feel with His heart and do anything but smile.