Visions and Tunnel Vision

Sometimes in life I get these pictures in my head that carry a massive amount of meaning.  They are similar to compressed dreams while awake.  It is as if the picture in my head explains a whole complete picture of what is happening that is contrary to what I have been seeing.

Usually these pictures come at moments when I reflect, seek understanding or am simply telling God that I don't understand.  I see them as God's gracious way of dropping truth in front of me, a gentle way of opening my eyes to a bigger picture, and a kind way of communicating that He cares, He hears and He sees.

So, what was my picture this morning?  It was a little girl asking God, "Where did you go?" however, God was right beside her.  Picture a giant of a being, with a little girl who can't find the giant beside her because of a cardboard box she had taped on her head to form a tunnel in front of her face.  The girl was stuck on narrow focuses and completely missed the fact that there was someone gently and peacefully filling the space around her.  He was ever present.  She didn't see Him, because she was too focused on a specific view.  She didn't see Him because she didn't look. 

The girl in this picture was me.  Stubbornly driven in one direction, running a beautiful race with good intention, looking at the gold, the journey, and the process.  All these focuses are noble and good.  On the other hand, sometimes in our movement, our focus narrows too much.  We start to get too set in our ways and stop listening to directions.  In my case, in survival mode, I boxed out the company I love the most. 

Perhaps the greater view is not one of focus on direction, but of focus on God.  Perhaps the more important view is not a focus on thriving, but on loving.  Perhaps a stronger view is not a focus on overcoming, but surrendering and asking for help.  There is a time to drive hard, live large and fight with all you have...but how much more beautiful and full would those views be if God was invited into the picture: invited into the journey: invited into the fight.

"Child.  You do not see because you do not look.  I have never left you."

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