Perception is a funny thing. Have you ever looked at something and saw it completely different then someone else? I often see how different perception is when I hear my kids talk. They see the world so differently then we do. I also hear it when others talk about themselves, situations, opinions. I have really started seeing how powerful perception is and how different it can be.
Last week I was getting ready for life group and I was busy getting the house ready. Cleaning, putting things away, making sure we had everything we needed and so on. I looked around and felt really good about everything. I started preparing my portion of our meal and before I know it, I look around around me and in the floor there are toys all over the place, some “crunchy” which is just G’s cereal she likes to eat, and I suddenly felt the need to sigh and be a little irritated. I had just spent a lot of time cleaning and preparing. I had already swept the floors and the toys had been put back into their places.
Perception……. Sometimes I think it is a choice. How we choose to view situations is up to us. Times like these are the ones I would struggle with (and still do). I would immediately come a little unravelled (sometimes a lot), and I would begin to allow my emotions to just take over. Cereal and toys in the floor would become “no one ever listens” “you guys never” or “you always!” and then I would start remembering every single thing that drove me nuts.
In that moment, after I sighed, I smiled. I looked at my kids who love me so very much, and I said out loud “I think that this small mess could have easily thrown off my mood, but I am choosing to see if differently. You know what I see? A blessing! I am a blessed momma to have these kids and this mess.” And that was it. We stopped, and cleaned up the mess and there was nothing more. Well except for maybe a small victory for me!
To some reading this, it might seem very silly, but maybe there are other areas in your life where you are struggling to see positive. I am working hard to change my perception of things. One thing that is helping me is to gain biblical perspective on my life. Often times, the reactions that seem to be most natural and justified, are actually destructive and harmful.
Perception is a very powerful choice. How we choose to see things can effect every aspect of our life. We have a choice in how we perceive situations, circumstances, ourselves…. I have found that a lot of my reaction comes from my perception of what is going on. These choices aren’t easy, but I find when I choose to see things in a positive light, I feel so much better!
All the things 