How's Your Outlook?

By Definition: Outlook: n. 1. Attitude; or point of view; 2. Likely future; expectations with respect to a particular situation.

What are your expectations for today?
When you got up this morning—what was your outlook?

Depending on your personality, you may be more optimistic or more pessimistic by nature or somewhere in between an incurable optimist and a total pessimist! Do you sing “Oh what a beautiful morning…everything’s goin’ my way!” from Oklahoma…or quote Murphy’s Law, “Whatever can go wrong, will go wrong!”

We can look down in disappointment, around in judgment, within in self-pity or we can look up in expectation and in hope!

When things don’t go our way, we mumble and grumble and have temper tantrums (at least inwardly) and can sulk in self-pity as well as any two-year old! With high expectations, link-by-link we construct a chain of obligation that will bind us in a dungeon of disappointment and depression and put others on a guillotine of guilt if we allow it!

In II Chronicles 20, Jehoshaphat, King of Judah, hears that a vast army is advancing intending to annihilate all in Judah. Now that is a very bad day! Wisely, Jehoshaphat looks UP! He goes to the Lord, acknowledging that only He is all-powerful and that none will be able to withstand HIM! Power!

Jehoshaphat further pleads to Almighty God that they alone do not have the power to face this vast army, that they do not know what to do, but “Our eyes are upon YOU.” And we see God give his answer, “Do not be afraid or discouraged because of this vast army. For the battle is not yours, but mine….You will not have to fight this battle. Take up your positions; stand firm and see the deliverance the Lord will give you; do not be afraid; do not be discouraged. Go out and face them tomorrow and I will be with you!”

Jehoshaphat assigned singers to sing and to praise God and as they did, they saw the LORD set ambushes for those attacking Judah. When they looked over the scene, all they saw were the bodies of their enemies lying on the ground. No one had escaped!

I don’t know about you, but I can begin to look at a particular circumstance and start feeling uneasy, sad, worried, and upset. Looking around for others to blame, taking on false guilt or rationalizing why it isn’t our fault does no good! But when I look up to my God, it puts everything into perspective! We have a very big God! It’s easy to get caught up in our daily lives looking all around at those who may “surround” us! We need to remember to LOOK UP! That is where our Help will be!

Reflect and Respond
1) What was your OUTLOOK today?
2) Where are you looking? Around, within, down? Or UP?
3) Spend a few minutes in prayer, asking the Lord to change your outlook!

Oh Lord, help me to lift up my eyes to You daily to get your perspective! Amen.