A Matter Of Focus

My friend Marge had an experience aboard a plane bound for Cleveland, while waiting for takeoff. As she settled into her seat, Marge noticed a strange phenomenon. On one side of the airplane a sunset suffused the entire sky with glorious color. But out of the window next to her seat, all Marge could see was a dark and threatening sky, with no sign of the sunset.

As the plane's engines began to roar, a gentle Voice spoke within her. "You have noticed the windows," He murmured beneath the roar of the engines and thrust of the takeoff. "Your life, too, will contain some happy, beautiful times, but also some dark shadows.

Here's a lesson I want to teach you to save you much heartache and allow you to "abide in Me" with continual peace and joy. You see, it doesn't matter which window you look through; this plane is still going to Cleveland. So it is in your life. You have a choice. You can dwell on the gloomy picture. Or you can focus on the bright things and leave the dark, ominous situations to Me. I alone can handle them anyway.

The final destination is not influenced by what you see or feel along the way. Learn this, act on it and you will be released, able to experience the "peace that passes understanding."

[ Catherine Marshall in "Touching the Heart of God" -- from Cindy H. ]