The Big Picture: a reflection on faith and life perspective

I spend most days at work sitting in my cubicle, occasionally glancing out the window at the opposite office buildings or wandering down to the coffee room to refill my mug. Some days, I may only say “good morning” and “have a good day” to my coworker in the cubicle next to mine. Some weeks, I may not even see my supervisor. I sit there, hunched over my desk, reading and editing documents.

Yesterday was our branch staff meeting, so I escaped from my cubicle for the morning. One of the managers got up to discuss a project she is working on. My work over the last few months has been editing a document that is part of her project. Listening to her, I understood how I fit into the project and glimpsed how my work was important. Hearing from other managers and talking to other staff at that meeting also helped me to see the big picture.

It’s easy to get caught up in my work in my little cubicle, and come and go and put in my hours, and see only the document that I am working on. It’s good to get out of my cubicle, to hear what others are working on, to see how my work fits in with everyone else’s work. It makes my work seem more worthwhile.

I’ve been thinking that life can be like that too. It’s easy for me to get caught up in the little things like cleaning my apartment, baking cookies for RCIA, getting wedding details planned, working on the newsletter that I edit, etc. I end up rushing from one thing to another, working away at my to-do list that never gets shorter. Somewhere in there, I forget the big picture—I lose some life perspective.

“God sanctifies each day. He conducts holy business at all hours and in all places. He uncommons the common by turning kitchen sinks into shrines, cafes into convents, and nine-to-five workdays into spirtual adventures.” ~ Max Lucado

That’s when it’s good to show up at the “branch staff meetings” on a Sunday morning, to get together with other Christians and spend some time reflecting on God’s Word and what His plan is. That’s when I need to take my Bible off the shelf and read for a few minutes before dashing off to work in the mornings. That’s when I should make sure that I take the time to pray and talk to God before I fall asleep at night. My faith helps give me life perspective.

“But if we lose the meaning of eternity and fail to see life from an eternal perspective, we lose everything important from God’s point of view. To apprehend eternity in this life is not only to anticipate a future enjoyment, but it is to appropriate a present reality.” ~ Debbie Przybylski

I’m not just a little isolated part of God’s creation, sitting in my own little cubicle and existing by myself. I’m part of His bigger creation, part of what He is doing in history, part of eternity. It’s an awesome thought. A big picture life perspective.

Resources to help you “see” the big picture in your life (affiliate links):

• The Purpose Driven Life: What on Earth Am I Here For? by Rick Warren
• Live Loved: Craft God’s Word Into Your Heart Through Creative Expression by Margaret Feinberg
• The Sacred Romance: Drawing Closer to the Heart of God by John Eldredge
• The Message Remix by Eugene Peterson
• One Beautiful Dream: The Rollicking Tale of Family Chaos, Personal Passions, and Saying Yes to Them Both by Jennifer Fulwiler
• In Praise of Stay-at-Home Moms by Dr. Laura Schlessinger

What helps you get a big picture life perspective?