Recently I purchased Adobe Premiere Elements. It is a software program used for editing videos. One of the components of the program is a timeline. I thought about how the timeline is like the span of our life and the elements represent different events or circumstances
in our life.
One aspect of Premiere Elements is the ability to change the timeline by moving a slide in or out. When you move it out you can 
see finer details of the elements. If you move it all the way to the right, the elements become very large and you can see them in miniscule detail. At the same time, you cannot see anything else except the element.
It dawned on me how our circumstances can become like that element when the timeline is enlarged. Focusing on our circumstances is like moving the slide to the right. The more we focus on them the larger they become. Eventually we do not see anything except the circumstances we are facing. By doing this the circumstances become much larger than what they really are in perspective to our life.
We need a new plan, a new course of action. In my book, Letting Go, Pathway to an Amazing Life I talk about putting our circumstances into perspective.
Our focus becomes the circumstances of our lives. Circumstances
will never bring us peace. When we dwell on what we see and not on God, fear
takes over. The more we replay in our minds the circumstances we are in, the
more overwhelming they become. Even seemingly insignificant things can seem
huge. As Christians, we still have struggles; however, too often we allow difficulties
and unpleasant circumstances to turn us away from God. When our circumstances
become difficult, it can be hard for us to believe that God has not forgotten
us and is ready to help.[i]
When difficulties arise instead of focusing on what we are facing, let’s lift our eyes toward God and focus on the wonderful promises He makes us, His mercy and His unfailing love, and put our confidence in Him.
“We have placed our confidence in him, and he will continue to rescue us.”
2 Cor 1:10b (NLT)
[i] Sandy
Hancock, Letting Go, Pathway to an Amazing Life, 10, 11.
