A tale of a spider and his virtual dinner.

My husband took this funny video at work the other day, click on link to watch!

A spider’s virtual dinner

 

Pretty funny…huh? My husband called me into his office yesterday, to check out the spider chasing his mouse cursor. Watching the spider chase his potential dinner, knowing that he would never catch it got me thinking about perspective.

When we watch this video we know the reality of the situation. We know that what the spider is chasing is not an insect. It may move like an insect and look like a gourmet dinner to him, but its not. No matter how long the spider chases the mouse cursor it will never be possible for the spider to catch and eat it.

After laughing a while about the spider’s predicament I started to feel sorry for him, here he was extending all his physical energy running after something that wasn’t real or edible. I felt sorry for him, because I know what that feels like, to desire something and to work at it with your whole heart and it to seem fruitless. If the spider could hear, and if I could speak spiderese I would have told him “don’t waste your time chasing that, you can’t catch or eat it!” I would have told him because my perspective on the situation was different than his, because I had knowledge that the spider didn’t have.

This made me think about my life and all the times, I felt like God was withholding something good from me because my perspective was off.

The example that instantly came to mind was the years I spent as a single woman praying and longing for my husband. I complained to God for about a decade (He is sooo patient!) about never getting asked out on dates and seeing no marriage prospects. When the truth was God knew where my husband was and was preparing our hearts to meet. I can now see his sovereign protection over me from heartbreak and disappointment because he knew when I would meet my wonderful husband Rene!

Even having such a powerful example of God’s perspective being greater than mine has not completely “cured” me of my tendency to forget that His perspective is BIGGER than mine!

I still kick, and scream…(even if its just inside my heart)…ok lets be honest some days I punch my pillow because I don’t understand…WHY???

Why did I have to move away from an incredible community?

Why have we lost 2 babies in the womb in the past 7 months?

Why won’t that person do what I want them to do?

Why won’t that situation go…MY WAY!!!!!!

Why is there war, sex slavery and famine in the world?

The list could go on and on…you know that “why” list…we all have one and it can be a very frustrating and overwhelming list…until I come into the presence of God. Until I encounter the one who has a much greater perspective then me.

When I just don’t understand. When there is indescribable loss and pain and when evil seems to be winning. I run to His presence and read these verses:

When my soul was embittered, when I was pricked in heart, I was brutish and ignorant;
I was like a beast toward you. Nevertheless, I am continually with you; you hold my right hand.
You guide me with your counsel, and afterward you will receive me to glory. Whom have I in heaven but you? And there is nothing on earth that I desire besides you? My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever. – Psalm 73:21-26

What about you? How do you handle your “why” questions?  Has there been a situation in your life where looking back you can see God’s perspective was different then your own?