Perspective

"Can’t see the forest for the trees..."

An expression used of someone who is too involved in the details of a problem to look at the situation as a whole.


I've been searching high and low for my fall decorations. I've got big, deep rubbermaid totes that I keep my holiday and seasonal decorations in and each one is marked with Christmas, everyday, fall, etc. Well I've been looking for the tote marked Fall and couldn't seem to find it anywhere until today. I was so frustrated because it could only be in 1 of 2 places - the freezer room or the furnace room, where we store stuff. I've probably looked for it 3 times, but for some reason when I walked into the store room today I happened to glance down straight ahead as I walked in and under the overhang of a wide corrugated box I see the Fall decorations! I wasn't looking there because I was surrounded by all this "stuff" and couldn't see what was in front of me all along.

This may not seem like that exciting of an event, but it reminded me of the saying "Can't see the forest for the trees" because sometimes the obvious thing is right in front of you but you can't see it because you're standing too close, you're in the thick of it. I think in our human-ness we choose to stay in the middle of it rather than to back up and see what is before us. The big picture. We're so busy and preoccupied with the task. I know I've found myself in this situation many times.

For me, I feel as if I need to really step back and look up. To see the big picture, to contemplate "God's plan". I'm greatful that He is always there waiting to hear from me. I'm gonna try harder to not stay in the thick of a problem and tackle it on my own, but rather to step back and do the obvious - Seek Him. Then I will see more clearly what it is I'm looking for and what it is God has for me.

"Every good and perfect gift is from above and comes down from the Father of lights."
James 1:17