There is something about being in an airplane, thousands of miles above the ground, that makes me feel small.
Looking down at the breathtaking landscape that stretches on for miles underneath a seemingly endless sky offers a perspective that it simply not possible from the ground. From that vantage point, you can see the beauty and variety of the earth, and how each landform is a small piece that fits into a vast and beautiful picture. You can see millions of city lights that glisten like stars in the night sky, cars that look like tiny miniatures, and people who look as small as ants.
From the air, it becomes clear that my life is only a tiny piece of a much bigger picture that I cannot see in its entirety. I cannot see the beginning from the end, or how the past, present, and future all combine to form one great whole. I cannot see how the relationships between people and events add beauty, texture, and variety, without which the finished product would not be nearly as stunning.
In that sense, feeling small is not such a bad thing. It reminds me that the universe is an intricate and amazing place, and that God, the only one who can see the whole picture clearly, is in charge of it all.
Sometimes a glimpse into my own short-sightedness is just what I need to help me remember that He knows more than I do, and I need to trust Him more fully. Even when life does not go as I think it should. Even when I do not feel like I am accomplishing enough to make a difference in this immense world.
I believe with all my heart that God knows us, not only as we are now, but also as we have the potential to become. He knows what experiences we need in order to make that potential a reality, and how to help us through the challenging times that stretch us to the very limits of our capacity to endure.
He knows what is best for us.
If we put our lives into His hands, trusting and following Him, He will be able to create something much more beautiful out of them than we could possibly create on our own.
We are not small to Him, but sometimes feeling small reminds us to turn to Him. I will count that as a blessing.
This is part of a 31-day series about small and simple things. You can see the rest of the series here.
“I believe with all my heart that God knows us, not only as we are now, but also as we have the potential to become. He knows what experiences we need in order to make that potential a reality, and how to help us through the challenging times that stretch us to the very limits of our capacity to endure.” Yes! This!