Post for August 9, 2012:  If you want to abound…

About ten days ago, I woke up and these words literally popped into my head.  “If you want to abound, look up, not around.”  I hadn’t even had time for a conscious thought, let alone the formation of a sentence.  I’ve been thinking about it a lot since that day and the more I think about it, the more “right” it sounds.  When I look around me, what I see for the most part are people with problems, not solutions to the problems I have.  But when I look up, I am reminded of God, His Love for me and His promises to Bless, Prosper and Protect me.  I am reminded of the wisdom found in His Word and of the power of prayer.  My heart grows lighter and my attitude and approach to whatever is before me changes.  It’s like the lyrics of the worship song…

“Turn your eyes upon Jesus
Look full in His wonderful face
And the things of earth will grow strangely dim
In the light of His glory and grace”

I confess I am not able (yet) to maintain an attitude of worship, or be constantly, consciously aware of His presence.  However, I have learned a few things to do that help me recover my peace when I’m stressed.  First, I look to nature.  It never fails to fill me with a sense of awe and wonder when I think about the intricacies and the beauty of His creation.  We are especially blessed here in Anchorage, because we have the Chugach Mountains that rim the city to the East and are constantly in view.  I see them every morning on my way to work and I also get to watch the seasons change upon their slopes.  They are a constant reminder of God’s majesty.  When I’m stuck in my office and need some inspiration, I go to the Astronomy Picture of the Day website, (http://apod.nasa.gov/apod/).  Within moments, I am lost among the galaxies, stars, and planets, giving praise to the God who has created all this yet chooses, no actually desires to have relationship with you and me!  I never fail to feel blessed and I know my problems are no problem for our God!

So if you want to abound, look up not around!