PERSPECTIVE

PERSPECTIVE

How do we gain perspective when in the valley of the shadow of death, or valley of divorce, despair, discouragement, depression, or doubt? How do you gain perspective when in the dark and your vision gets clouded by confusion?

John F Kennedy Jr. was a pilot, although not highly experienced; he had set out to fly his small aircraft to Martha’s Vineyard, Mass. Kennedy started his flight later that night than planned, which meant now he was flying in the dark. Night flying is very different from day flying because of the lack of outside visual references. In addition, the crossing of large bodies of water at night can cause issues with the pilot’s depth perception and orientation; because of what can happen to the brain while in these conditions, the pilot must trust his navigational instruments during this time.

Your brain will tell you that you are still straight and level when actually you might be in a right turn. Or you think you are turning left, but you could be straight and level.

Pilots are trained to know this; however, the illusion cannot be stopped; it can only be ignored.  That is a compelling reason to have instrument training because in these conditions, instrument training teaches you to disbelieve everything you think you know and to trust the instruments. 

On the night, in 1999, Kennedy’s aircraft entered a right turn, while still descending. As the turn rate increased, the descent rate and the airspeed also increased. 

A reason for this may be that the aircraft was upside-down in a downward spiral and that the pilot tried to pull back, thus accelerating the descent. He would have done this only because he no longer had any idea which way was up.

To summarize, JFK lost sight of the horizon, got distracted by the situation, and became disoriented. Kennedy went with what he thought he knew in the darkness and clouds and did not trust his instruments. He did not trust what he was trained and taught; instead, JFK loss perspective. Kennedy tried to pilot alone his way in the dark.  And because he kept ignoring the warning signs, the rate of speed he was descending increased, and by the time he figured out what to do, it was too late. He couldn’t pull up out of the “graveyard spiral.”  Three lives were lost that day.

So how do we gain perspective when in the valley of the shadow of death, or divorce, despair, discouragement, depression, or doubt? How do we gain perspective when in the dark and our vision is clouded by confusion?

Our perspective can change when we start renewing our minds and trusting in the One who guides us. God navigates us through the storms and directs our journey when we give Him the pilot seat.  When life is spinning out of control, and we are what feels like a “graveyard spiral,”  remember His faithfulness, trust His promises, and His Word, and our perspective will change to that of God is Sovereign over all and God is good all the time. As His children, He is always for us and not against us. 

Let Praise Power your Perspective!

-Praising God gets our focus on God, not ourselves.

Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.  1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

-Praising God reminds us we are not in control.

-Praising God can push back the darkness, lift depression, and will defeat our enemy. 

-Perspective Change-

Praise is Power to Perceive and Receive His Peace!

For further encouragement, Read 2 Chronicles 20:1-30.

Taken from the Bible study “After it Breaks” by Tanya Magnus

Tanya Magnus

Tanya Magnus

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