BELIEVE AND SEE THE SITUATION DIFFERENTLY - PART 2

To believe is to accept that something is true, even in the absence of proof. To see differently is to have a particular unique attitude towards something; a point of view. We need both combination, if we are going to walk with God successfully.

Reference: Psalm 23:4 English Standard Version (ESV) 'Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.'

Shadow of death is used in reference to proximity to ominous disaster, or sadness and gloom. In Latin, it's known as umbra mortis, which means 'deep darkness'. Some translations (like NIV) used the term, 'darkest valley'. Here, the Psalmist is saying, 'even though he walks through the deep darkness, he believes in safety because he sees differently. What is the perspective? God is with him; therefore shadow of death does not make any difference. The same God who is with him at the right and more convenient places is still the same God with him in deep darkness. So his mentality, not his circumstance, is what makes the difference and dictates his bearing.

You trust what you believe and your perspective is usually shaped in the direction of your belief system. Let's take a look at a woman in 1 King 4:8-32, who is known as the 'shunammite woman'. The Shunammite woman's son came through Elisha's prophesy. However, one day, when the child had grown, he went out to his father among the reapers. And all of a sudden, he began to complain about a serious headache. Then he said to his father, "Oh, my head, my head!" The father said to his servant, "Carry him to his mother." Unfortunately the child died as he sat on her mother's lap.

Even though this had happened, the Shunammite woman believed so much in Prophet Elisha and for this reason, she had a different perspective about the predicament. So she went up and laid him on the bed of the man of God and shut the door behind him and went out. She refused to be perturbed regardless of the bad news. When she called to her husband, instead of mourning and revealing the bad news, She said to him, "Send me one of the servants and one of the donkeys, that I may quickly go to the man of God and come back again." So the husband asked, "Why will you go to him today? It is neither new moon nor Sabbath." She said, "All is well", which means, nothing is wrong.

The woman's perspective about the hopeless situation was positive all the way. In 2 Kings 4:25-26, even when the man of God saw her coming, and informed his servant, Gehazi to run at once to meet her, she still answered Gehazi, "All is well." At the same chapter, from verses 32-36, the child came back to life through the Prophet, but the whole process had to do with the Shunammite woman's mindset. Remember that she could've just gone to bury her dead son, but due to her perspective, the bad news turned around in her favour.

Scripture Reading - John 3:31; Ephesians 2:9; John 17:14; Philippians 4:13; 1 John 4:6.

Exuberant Declaration: I see God's goodness in every situation and the Word perspective influences everything about me, including my attitude, mindset, viewpoint, outlook, and belief. All things work together for my good because I'm positively, spiritually and mentally transformed by renewing my mind through God's Word. Hallelujah!