Perspective

The way you view the world. What is going on around you.  What is happening to you. How you feel you are being treated. How you view others. 

It is all about your perspective.  Which when it comes down to it, is a choice you make.  There are a lot of things that can and do influence your choice.  Like the perspective of those you are hanging around. And who's words you believe. And how you feel about yourself. And God. And the enemy of your soul.

The devil wants nothing more to persuade you to live defeated, like a victim of your circumstances and your past.  Because when you choose the perspective of a victim, no one can do anything right, everyone is out to get you, and you feel like you are constantly being criticized, ignored, and treated poorly. And it is difficult to get past that and see what God sees, respond like God responds and live victorious as He has called you to live.

I used to live like that.  I think it started in part because I was so critical of myself that I assumed everyone else was also picking my every action, every word apart, looking for a way to point out my failures and hurt me. Because I was  insecure and living like a victim of what people said or did or I thought they said or did.  I had to decide to get past that because it was stopping me from being able to fully commit to the work God had for me. So I chose to assume people for the most part loved me and cared about me and whatever they said or did didn't define me or control me.  Yes, I still get my feelings hurt sometimes, but by choosing to walk in forgiveness, I have found freedom. And it is the best feeling in the world. 

Since God brought me this freedom, I tend to err in that I assume others are also walking in love and forgiveness and are also free.  But there are many Christians who don't live this way.  They choose to let someone else control their freedom.  By holding someone to a standard that requires they ask for forgiveness or they suffer for hurting you, you are only hurting yourself.  I am not saying that asking for forgiveness is not a good practice to have, just that your ability to forgive someone should not depend on what they do for you, but a choice you make.  You control your own forgiveness and being able to forgive with no strings attached is the most freeing place to be.  Forgiving just like Jesus forgives us.

I am not saying this to make myself look better or more mature, but just to share my heart.  Because I believe that we can have so much more freedom if we will choose to forgive and in so doing, change our perspective from victim to victor.  I know. I have been there.  Choosing to be hurt and carry it allows the wound to fester and get infected instead of forgiving which allows for complete healing. And God is faithful to provide that wholeness if we only ask him.  We have already overcome all the devil's schemes and tactics and the hurts we will face in this life.  We don't have to live in bondage to hurt and rejection, but we can be freer than we could ever imagine.

And gain new glasses through which to view the world around us.