Originally published Tuesday, 16 July 2013.
Have you ever looked back on a situation and wondered why you reacted the way you did to something?
Or maybe why you stayed in a romantic relationship with someone far too long, despite the fact that you were being treated poorly?
Or how you managed to get into a fight with your friend over something so trivial and significant but it ended up having a lasting impact?
Or just why you worried about the silliest, most out of-your-control things?
As I reflect on past situations and circumstances, relationships and my mindset during those times, there is a consistent theme among them.
I was, as I like to call it, “all up in one tree” that there was no way I seeing the whole forest.
In other words, I had become so fixated on a situation and emotionally wrapped up in the details, that I often could not see things for what they really were.
Okay, roll with me for a second here.
Imagine you are taking a picture.
You scroll in allllllll the way, so you are completely zoomed in.
Your camera lens displays a small, confusing image that leads you to make wrongful conclusions based on misunderstandings and lack of a better perspective.
However, when you start to push that little zoom out button…
A little more…
There ya go!
You see the whole image. The picture makes sense now and the things that confused you before aren’t so confusing anymore.
Does that make sense at all?
Essentially, the same is true for our lives.
We get our emotional beings so indulgently obsessed with situations, worrying over such miniscule details and trivial situations (which are often out of our control anyway) because we do not take the time to “zoom out” and see what is really important about what is going on.
That relationship you should have gotten out of 3 months ago? Well, once you zoom out a little and realize that your fear of “being alone forever” is silly, and that this is a TINY LITTLE SLIVER of your life, In which you should not have to deal with such petty drama– you skidaddle.
Buh-bye.
What took you so long?
The fight that you got into with your friend over a disagreement between who was right and wrong? You zoom out a little hair, think about all the things you both have been through and remember that the need to be right is extremely arrogant– you get back to taking selfies with your homegirl/guy.
Sheesh.
What took you so long?
That time when your worries caused seven nights of restless sleep? You see that the little things worked out, the big things started to get better and that life has a way of moving forward despite how hard it seems sometimes. Oh, and you remember that small little detail that the God of Heaven and Earth is your trust — your pretty little head finally hits the hay.
LAWD, child.
What took you so long?
I don’t mean that you can’t have emotions. REAL, tough, human emotions that drive you to act.
I just mean before you act- RE-FOCUS AND ZOOM OUT.
We get so all up in the tree, so emotionally STUCK, so fixated, so worried, so obsessed, so CONSUMED in our lives that we speed past the next few exits on our Highway of life and all the sudden, we have kids.
And a house.
And 8 dogs.
And life. Kept. Going.
What should we all work on?
Zooming out a little bit in the midst of our situation.
Save yourself a little time.
Some heartache.
Maybe a little money or sleep too.
If you spend all your time barking up one tree, you are going to miss a WHOLE lotta beauty in that forest my friend!
ZOOM OUT!
Don’t take pictures like my mom, the nose hairs can stay outta this picture
“Listen to advice and accept instruction, that you may gain wisdom in the future. Many are the plans in the mind of a man, but it is the purpose of the Lord that will stand.” -Proverbs 19:20-21
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