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 extremely experienced, and 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. And when crossing large bodies of water at night, it 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 are in a right turn. Or you think you are turning left, but you are really straight and level.
Pilots are trained to know this; however, the illusion cannot be stopped; it can only be ignored. That’s 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 no idea which way was up.
To summarize, JFK, lost visual of the horizon, and got distracted by the situation and became disoriented. In the darkness and clouds, Kennedy went with what he thought he knew and didn’t trust his instruments. He didn’t trust what he was trained and taught, instead, JFK loss perspective. Kenndey tried to pilot alone and 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.
Back to our question; 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 we gain perspective when in the dark and our vision is clouded by confusion?
Our perspective can change when we renew our minds. We renew our minds by trusting God, not in other people, or other things. God navigates our way through the storms, and in the dark, as our confusion and doubts take over. God will direct our journey when we give Him control. When life is spinning out of control, and we are in a “graveyard spiral,” let’s remember His faithfulness, trust His promises, and His Word, and let our perspective be God is Sovereign over all and God is good all the time. He is for us and not against us.
It is Praise that powers our perspective!
However, to gain these perspectives, to move us from the “stuck” position, or the “graveyard spiral,” we need our faith and hope ignited. As believers, we have access to amazing power. That power is Praise!
-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.
The thought for many is to add “more God” to their lives. Go to church more, or give more, etc.
But the perspective change is—
God is not something you add to your life…… God is your life!
And everything else is added.
-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
