We have a long-time, family friend with an eye disorder, which severely limits his peripheral vision to the point that he is legally blind. In lay terminology, we would say Jonathan has tunnel vision—a constricted view as if looking through a tiny, narrow tube. Yet Jonathan’s spiritual and mental outlook on life is anything but narrow-minded or limited. He is an anointed vocalist, gifted writer, and dedicated husband, father, and local church leader. He recently completed his Master’s Degree in counseling to open new avenues for ministry to hurting, broken people.

As true believers, ministers, and intercessors in a post-Christian society, we must be careful to not allow news media, court decisions, economic forecasts, or even doomsday prophets to distort and limit our perspective. Nothing should diminish our hope in the LORD God of Hosts and our resurrected Savior, Jesus Christ. These were Peter’s words to God’s chosen people, living as strangers scattered throughout the known world:

Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great
mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the
resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and into an inheritance that
can never perish, spoil or fade—kept in heaven for you, who through
faith are shielded by God’s power until the coming of the salvation that
is ready to be revealed in the last time (1 Peter 1:3–5 NIV).

God is able to take the seemingly impossible issues of our (His) world and turn them around in an instant. Yet, He sometimes chooses to continue shaping and molding His people in the furnace of adversity so that they may testify of Him in the arena of victory and deliverance.

Our Creator King sees the big picture. We see only a small framework through a dimly lit tunnel. His challenge to us is to rest in His love. Trust in His power and wisdom. Anticipate His grace and deliverance. His answers may seem delayed on our schedule, but He will certainly answer without delay on His sovereign timetable.

“For the vision is yet for an appointed time, but at the end it shall
speak, and not lie: though it tarry, wait for it; because it will surely
come, it will not tarry” (Habakkuk 2:3 KJV).

“Though the fig tree does not bud and there are no grapes on the vines,
though the olive crop fails and the fields produce no food, though there
are no sheep in the pen and no cattle in the stalls, yet I will rejoice in
the Lord, I will be joyful in God my Savior” (Habakkuk 3:17–18 NIV).