{day 146 project365 2015… practice looking up}

One of the tips I received a while back in taking photos is
change your point of view. That just simply means
change the point of view from which the camera sees the scene.
A picture with a certain lens and a different point of view
gives you a whole new photo.

In thinking about this, it dawned on me that life works the
same way. When I change the point of view of my life I get a
whole different perspective! What I am looking at changes the
way I respond to what is happening. For example, looking at
something as being done to me, makes me think like a victim
of my circumstances. Where if I looked at that same set of
circumstances as an opportunity to do something new, it makes
me think outside the box and of the opportunities that have
opened up as a result of change.

This brings to mind John Piper quoting Henry Scougal in the
his book The Pleasures of God:

The worth and excellency of a soul is to be measured by the
object of its love.

Piper goes on to state that we become like what we spend time
looking at. So for looking up in life a lot of scripture
verses come to mind, especially one set in:

Philippians 4:4-9 (ESV):
4 Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice.
5 Let your reasonableness be known to everyone. The Lord
is at hand; 6 do not be anxious about anything, but in
everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving
let your requests be made known to God. 7 And the peace
of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard
your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

8 Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable,
whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely,
whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there
is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. 9 What
you have learned and received and heard and seen in me—practice
these things, and the God of peace will be with you.

Looking up in life I need to stay focused on rejoicing and
thinking about the things in that list: true, honorable, just,
pure, lovely, commendable, excellent, and praiseworthy. My
prayer is for the Lord to help me keep looking to him that
I may see these things all the time.