We all have heard people ask, “Is the cup half full or half empty?” Everyone’s view is different; there is no right or wrong answer. It’s all about perception. Those who see the cup as being half empty will be classified by others as being pessimists. Others will say that they always see the negative. However, those seeing the cup as being half empty do not consider themselves to be pessimists. They consider themselves to be realists. They see that there is room in the cup that could be filled; therefore, it is half empty.
On the other hand, those who see the cup as being half full are usually considered by others and themselves to be optimists. They always seem to see the bright side of things. Pessimists, however, feel that these optimists are naïve; they believe the optimists are refusing to see and/or accept what is real. Neither position is right or wrong because it is all about perception.
Perception is a reaction. It is how we respond to physical or chemical stimulation of our senses. In the example of the cup, it is how we respond to what we are seeing. When we perceive things to be a certain way, our perception does not make them a reality or make them true; but we often are convinced they are both.
Currently, I have two rather large burdens for which I have been praying for a long time. Because I have not received an answer yet, my perception of the Lord was beginning to change. I began to think He was not hearing me. I began to question Him. He had promised to meet all of our needs. These burdens are not wants but definite needs. Therefore, I was left to wonder, “Why isn’t He answering?”
This morning, I started thinking about all of the small prayer requests He has answered for me lately, so I know He hears me. I began to think about how He has taken care of us throughout this pandemic, so I know He is still keeping His promise to meet all of our needs. I then remembered when I had been praying for my mom to get right with Him and to get into church. I knew that was a good thing that would please the Lord, but it took eleven years for that prayer to be answered. There were times when I wanted to give up, but praise the Lord, I did not!
I had seen the Lord answer big and small requests in my life, so why was my perception changing? This time, there is a time limit in place. A decision must be made by a certain time. I am a control freak and need to have everything planned out far in advance. I have always said that God is in control of my life, but I realized this morning that my actions were not matching up with my words.
It is easy to say that we believe Proverbs 3:5-6, but it is not so easy to actually live these verses and put them into practice. Perhaps God has not answered my requests because He is trying to teach me to wait on Him and His timing. Perhaps He is testing me to see if I actually trust in Him. Perhaps He is waiting so that, when He does answer, He will receive all the praise and glory, and there will be no other explanation other than “God did it.”
This morning, though the burdens are just as large, they are no longer heavy. I have a new perception. I am no longer looking at the Lord with heartache, wondering why He is not answering. Instead, I am looking to Him with excitement, wondering how He is going to answer. Since making that change in my perception, I have already felt a sense of calm and peace; I no longer feel the weight of those burdens.
It is amazing how a change in perception also changes our attitudes and outlooks. Sometimes, we make a mountain out of a molehill; and sometimes, the molehill is a mountain. It is all about perception.
by Crystal Collingsworth
