Wednesday’s Word

per·spec·tive

“The interrelation in which a subject or its parts are mentally viewed; also: point of view; the capacity to view things in their true relations or relative importance.” 

Did you know that your perspective can be affected by your perception?  I know; I see you scratching your head so let me make a confession: I honestly thought they were the same thing! Welcome to Coffee Hour @ Chicklit Power and Wednesday’s Word with Trench Classes United. Come on in for what I hope will be a powerful blog that will clear your perception to positively affect your perspective, no matter where you are in life!

I can’t take credit for this breakthrough; it comes from Jason Frenn, the author of Power to Change.  Let me see if I can explain it to you in a way that brings clarity. As the definition states, perspective is where you are physically, emotionally and spiritually when you view something, or someone, and perception is how you interpret what you are looking at, perceiving with your mind and soul, from any given perspective.

For example, we have all read or heard of those amazing stories of a person born into poverty, or a not so positive generational cycle of any type; this equates to their perspective, position and/or placement in life. Now, how they rise above it and make something of themselves because of how they viewed and interpreted their circumstances is their perception. In other words, perception is how we take in whatever we take in. 

Let me share a word picture that comes to mind: There are many arteries and blood vessels (little pipes) that carry oxygen and blood to and from the heart but they can’t do that if there are clogs in the pipes, so to speak. Life can clog those pipes –perspective—and receiving God’s love becomes really difficult, if not impossible for many. (John 3:16) It is NOT because God’s love isn’t powerful enough to clear the clog, but more because their perception needs to receive truth in order to unclog the perspective.

His love is what changes our perception so that no matter what perspective we are viewing our life’s circumstances from, or those of others, our perception doesn’t waver.

Perception can change your perspective.

But how do we change our perception despite our perspective?

God knew there would be so many of His kids born into unhealthy cycles,  incredibly unpleasant circumstances, which is why He left us the precious gift of His Spirit: to change our perception, despite our perspective.  Could it be that when we feed our faith, our perception is able to rise above our perspective?

What will you do today to positively affect your perception in a way that lifts you above your perspective?

Thoughtfully,

Evinda