The Big Picture
Written by Sean Mendoza
Whom resist steadfast in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren that are in the world. But the God of all grace, who hath called us unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that ye have suffered a while, make you perfect, stablish, strengthen, settle you. To him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.
1 Peter 5:9-11 King James Bible
Keep your guard up. You’re not the only ones plunged into these hard times. It’s the same with Christians all over the world. So keep a firm grip on the faith. The suffering won’t last forever. It won’t be long before this generous God who has great plans for us in Christ —eternal and glorious plans they are!—will have you put together and on your feet for good. He gets the last word; yes, he does.
1 Peter 5:9-11 The Message
I entered midway in through my own dream, caught somewhere between the climax and the credits. It seemed as if someone was showing me only a brief portion of the script and wanted me to write the rest of the story.
In the dream, a young couple were discussing plans for salvaging their failing relationship only when they found peace and prosperity. Suddenly, my dream found the couple climbing a giant mountain and saying to each other, “Surely the peace we’ve always wanted lies at the top.” But while they were summiting the final crest, the man mistook a loose rock for a cleft and lost his footing causing him to fall and take the woman with him.
They both plummeted into the ocean, and would’ve died, but the waves broke their fall and washed them upon the shore. Defeated, they stood at the base of the mountain looking up with the last hope of happiness fading from their hearts.
This is where the dream ended, but as it turned out, where the real story began. As the muffled ambiguity of the dream began to dim, I woke up and received images from the Lord helping me to make sense of this odd story.
He showed me that the couple's attempt to climb the mountain was really a metaphor for the way we sometimes try to earn God’s favor through achievements and trophies of this life. The mountain represented the string of our life, which was really no mountain at all, but turned into a big skyscraper building that reached to the heavens. The loose rock that slipped under the man’s foot became a tinted window pane that chipped causing a reflection, and when the Sun caught the glass it sent a beam out across the sea that was then seen by a young girl who had been lost to the tides for a long time.
This girl had spent countless nights begging for a sign, a glimpse of hope that would help her find purpose in this life. She began paddling her boat towards the reflection and finally reached the shore at the base of this giant building.
Standing in awe with tears streaming down her cheeks, she cried out loud, “I see it now, the sign, that little bright light shining so clear. I can finally see where God is leading me. I can envision the path. This is the building where I’m going to work someday, and I’m going to change the world.”
We’re often so caught up in our problems that we only see today’s headline and never think about the big picture. We only see the times we fail and assume that God has let us down, or is teaching us some lesson, or it’s a test, or trial of some sort. But what if we could reframe each failed attempt in our life and view it rather as a success, not only for our growth, but also for the people coming up behind us, the ones we can’t see because we’re so focused on the giant cliff in front of us?
If we believe that the Lord is sovereign, and all things work together for good to us who love Him (Romans 8:28), then we must trust that “these cliffs” WILL be climbed (even if not by us). But at the places where we fall, we are leaving a jumping off point for the next person to begin their ascent...and so on until someone finally makes it to the top.
My Christian walk has been filled with pitfalls and shortcomings that have led me off the beaten path more than I can count. I have reached for the heights of Babel, and I’ve searched for meaning and purpose, only to find the waves time and time again. At some point I stopped asking why and started searching for the purpose in the failures, and that’s where God met me. God has always said “my ways are not your ways, and my thoughts are not your thoughts”, and when you can grasp that sentiment, then you will begin to see the big picture. God has shown me that every time I begin to climb someone else around me is inspired to do the same. Ultimately, isn’t that what our testimony is all about? Shining a light for others to see.
Even in the greatest defeats, God still manages to bring forth victory. Our slips are someone else’s strongholds. Our defeats pave the way for someone else’s vision. In the end, we realize it’s not about us, it’s about making sure the Kingdom survives and thrives, it’s about the people next to us, and it’s ultimately and always about the glory of God!
In the dream, a young couple were discussing plans for salvaging their failing relationship only when they found peace and prosperity. Suddenly, my dream found the couple climbing a giant mountain and saying to each other, “Surely the peace we’ve always wanted lies at the top.” But while they were summiting the final crest, the man mistook a loose rock for a cleft and lost his footing causing him to fall and take the woman with him.
They both plummeted into the ocean, and would’ve died, but the waves broke their fall and washed them upon the shore. Defeated, they stood at the base of the mountain looking up with the last hope of happiness fading from their hearts.
This is where the dream ended, but as it turned out, where the real story began. As the muffled ambiguity of the dream began to dim, I woke up and received images from the Lord helping me to make sense of this odd story.
He showed me that the couple's attempt to climb the mountain was really a metaphor for the way we sometimes try to earn God’s favor through achievements and trophies of this life. The mountain represented the string of our life, which was really no mountain at all, but turned into a big skyscraper building that reached to the heavens. The loose rock that slipped under the man’s foot became a tinted window pane that chipped causing a reflection, and when the Sun caught the glass it sent a beam out across the sea that was then seen by a young girl who had been lost to the tides for a long time.
This girl had spent countless nights begging for a sign, a glimpse of hope that would help her find purpose in this life. She began paddling her boat towards the reflection and finally reached the shore at the base of this giant building.
Standing in awe with tears streaming down her cheeks, she cried out loud, “I see it now, the sign, that little bright light shining so clear. I can finally see where God is leading me. I can envision the path. This is the building where I’m going to work someday, and I’m going to change the world.”
We’re often so caught up in our problems that we only see today’s headline and never think about the big picture. We only see the times we fail and assume that God has let us down, or is teaching us some lesson, or it’s a test, or trial of some sort. But what if we could reframe each failed attempt in our life and view it rather as a success, not only for our growth, but also for the people coming up behind us, the ones we can’t see because we’re so focused on the giant cliff in front of us?
If we believe that the Lord is sovereign, and all things work together for good to us who love Him (Romans 8:28), then we must trust that “these cliffs” WILL be climbed (even if not by us). But at the places where we fall, we are leaving a jumping off point for the next person to begin their ascent...and so on until someone finally makes it to the top.
My Christian walk has been filled with pitfalls and shortcomings that have led me off the beaten path more than I can count. I have reached for the heights of Babel, and I’ve searched for meaning and purpose, only to find the waves time and time again. At some point I stopped asking why and started searching for the purpose in the failures, and that’s where God met me. God has always said “my ways are not your ways, and my thoughts are not your thoughts”, and when you can grasp that sentiment, then you will begin to see the big picture. God has shown me that every time I begin to climb someone else around me is inspired to do the same. Ultimately, isn’t that what our testimony is all about? Shining a light for others to see.
Even in the greatest defeats, God still manages to bring forth victory. Our slips are someone else’s strongholds. Our defeats pave the way for someone else’s vision. In the end, we realize it’s not about us, it’s about making sure the Kingdom survives and thrives, it’s about the people next to us, and it’s ultimately and always about the glory of God!
Reflective Question for the Day
When was your last failed attempt at life?
Take a second to zoom out and glean from that experience, then think of someone who could benefit from where you left off.
How can you be a catalyst for a brother or sister struggling in the faith?
Sean Mendoza loves seeing a random act of kindness in the midst of all the meaningless holiday hustle. He loves shopping for vintage clothes. His morning routine is waking up early to make a smoothie, or overnight oats, or cut some fresh fruit before he makes his way to work.