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At first, I painted these a disturbing red; it didn’t work.  So I kept painting and repainting, until I hit on this deep blue. I didn’t give up until I got the answer. It reminds me of what the old-time saints used to call “praying through to get the answer.”

Wd can’t repaint disturbing people and situations like I repainted this flowering tree—but we can keep praying and working on ourselves to find God’s point of view.

We need God’s perspective on unsettling circumstances and people. Only He can show us if we’re out of synch with His heart; only He can give us strength and endurance to stay in difficult situations;  only He can direct us in effective prayer to change things—if change is His plan. Only He knows if it’s wise to run away as fast and far as we can, or if it’s best to surrender the circumstances to His hands wait for His resolution.

Whatever His perspective, God doesn’t paint us into unpleasant relationships and situations and expect us to stay there and be all upset.  He choses colors that harmonize with His grace-filled order of love, compassion, energy, sorrow, peace and joy. And when a person or situation is unsettling, like my red  flowers, I think He wants us to turn to Him and, if necessary,  keep turning to Him, until He brings His answer.

I like what Oswald Chambers says about this:

True intercession involves bringing the person, or the circumstance that seems to be crashing in on you, before God, until you are changed by His attitude toward that person or circumstance. People describe intercession by saying, “It is putting yourself in someone else’s place.” That is not true! Intercession is putting yourself in God’s place; it is having His mind and His perspective.

And if God gives you something to say or do about about a disturbing concern in your life, you can step out in authority, confident that He will back you up.

 

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• Trees