What's Your Reference Point?

I love small phrases that remind me of big things.  When I am in a trying moment I am most helped by a few key words that can remind me of the truth.  A new phrase I am adding to my arsenal of wordy helpers is, what's your reference point?  Too many times I get caught up in an issue and I forget what the reference point is.  The reference point is the heart of an issue, the truth of the matter, the center of something. Take this morning when one of my children spilled blueberry smoothie on the floor my reference point should have been to point to the Lord's will in this and all things.  Yet, I was tempted to have my reference point be my emotions.  They were along the lines of, great now I have a giant mess to clean up, wasn't this child suppose to be sitting!!!  But, if I stop and say what's my reference point I am brought back into line with the truth.  In this circumstance the truth is, this is a child who just made a mistake, she can learn from it and clean it up.  Coach her and encourage her.  Praise the Lord, I was able to overcome my emotional response and directed the child to clean up the mess, reminding her it was not big deal.  This is a little example, but I look forward to using this phrase to help me find the truth and heart of the matter in bigger issues that arise. 

As I have been thinking on how to apply this phrase to more issues I am finding that my reference point is often what leads me to sin.  When I have a situation arise where God is asking me to sacrifice my reference point is often selfishness instead of sacrificially serving as my Saviour modeled for me.  I also find that I struggle with the temptation to respond out of an ignorant reference point where I seek my own experiences to make sense of the things.  This is foolishness on my part.  There will be so many things that I won't understand.   I will need to forsake my reference point of thinking I must understand and trade it in for a reference point of trusting the Lord in all things.  It is truly exciting to think that such a simple few words put together could have such a profound impact on how I respond to the trials of life.  What a joy it is to have the Lord bless me with this bit of revelation this morning!  Perhaps it will encourage others to find their reference point in the face of temptation.