There is so much beauty in the world. With the right perspective, we can experience peace during even the most violent storms life brings… and I can assure you that life will bring plenty of storms.

Imagine, if you will, that you are playing a very complicated card game, and while you understand some of the basic rules of the game, you essentially have no idea how to form a successful strategy. Now, the prize in this game, from an earthly perspective, is a magic fix for every single thing that ails you. All of your pain, heartbreak, trauma, fear, and insecurities gone in one heartbeat. Sounds pretty amazing, doesn’t it?

Now, playing the game is harder than you’d think, because some of the cards have an electrical charge that zaps you and causes you pain, and you never know when you’re going to pull one of those off the pile. Other cards have an oily residue on them that is absorbed into the skin and makes you see things that aren’t real… things that scare you and make you want to quit. However, you know that if you keep playing, you’ll win that prize.

There are two outsiders always watching the game… both coaching the players. At some point you learn that one of the “coaches” keeps trying to get you to quit the game because he wants you trapped in his world. That’s right… if you quit, you lose. You’ll stay stuck with the pain and the misery and never have freedom. You also learn that the other coach is there softly telling you each move to make. He tells you some of the moves are going to hurt, but as long as you trust Him and keep doing your best to make the moves He asks of you, then you will eventually make the move that brings the ultimate prize.

My point with this is that, in many respects, life on earth is that proverbial card game. We have a tireless enemy doing his best to constantly distract us with zaps of pain and distortions of reality. We also have a patient guide who is leading us to the only thing that matters… our peaceful eternity.

You see, in the end it doesn’t matter what happens in this life. It only matters that we keep our focus on the one who is leading us home. If we keep our earthly woes in their proper perspective, we will find the peace Christ is offering us so freely. We will see the beauty of the world more easily. When we look out across nothing but concrete, may we be the ones who always see the lone flower growing through one tiny fissure…