Don't Lose Your Perspective

Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God. For consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds. Hebrews 12:1-3 (KJV)

This tells us that the grand stands of heaven are watching us run our race. The word cloud in this passage means crowd. So easily beset you means so easily knock you off course.

We must run our race with patience and not lose our perspective. We are to run with purpose, knowing why we are running.

For the joy of the Lord is your strength. Nehemiah 8:10 (KJV)

Jesus is our example, so we must keep our eyes on Him. Do what He did, and run your race like He ran His so you can win. Jesus kept His joy throughout all He endured. Joy gave Him strength to go through it because He kept His perspective right. He looked beyond what He was going through and saw you and me as His reward. He ran His race and won His prize: us. Jesus Christ endured the cross and despised the shame of it. He didn’t let the pain and humiliation stop Him. He finished the work, won His race, and sat down in victory!

So, consider Jesus and all He endured. Jesus endured fierce opposition because He didn’t lose His perspective. He knew who He was, His identity; and why He came, His purpose. Even when others came against Him, He overcame, keeping His perspective right by remembering His identity and purpose. we are to do the same so we won’t become weary and faint in our minds. The battle is won in the mind by keeping a right perspective. We do this by renewing our minds to God’s Word, receiving strength from the Word to do the Word. Thinking in line with the Word is how we can keep the right perspective in any situation.

We can also endure with joy to win our race and win the prize- the reward God has for each of us. We’ll keep our identity straight, and we’ll fulfill our purpose, maintaining the right perspective all the way through. We won’t turn to the left or the right, but we’ll run a straight course, winning the race. Then, one day, we’ll sit down in heaven with Jesus… one day, once we’ve won and we’re done.