Friday, September 30, 2011

Worms or Pasta?

Perception is defined as the ability to see, hear, or become aware of something through the senses. I find it Interesting that it says “through the senses”. I’ve never heard that before. But then I thought about it more and found this to be true.

First there’s the perception of what we hear & speak. It can often change with emotion or how we feel, even though circumstances remain the same. I once heard someone say there are 3 windows of perception: what I say; what you hear; and what I think you heard. (Though I also believe there’s ‘what I meant’, because most of us are not super skilled in the art of communication).
Then there’s the perception of how we see things. Whether they are issues or circumstances, our perception is how we look at them. These can also change with emotion or feelings.
Have you ever seen this picture? 


I remember the first time I saw this, I was fascinated. One minute I saw a beautiful young woman and the next minute, an old lady. My perception would change as I changed my focus.
Then there’s the perception of what we feel or touch. I once saw on a TV show, kids being  blindfolded and told to put their hand in a bowl full of wet noodles. They were told it was worms, and as soon as the thought was planted, it grew into belief and eventually screaming kids.
We’ve heard that we can look at a glass "half full or half empty". The focus seems to be on optimism or pessimism?; what we are or are not? Could it also be our perception and what we focus our eyes and thoughts on?
I’ve been through a lot of trials in the last 3 years, but my perception has gone from one end of the scale to the other. Recently someone asked me how I was doing and I responded that I was happier than I’d ever been. My response led to the assumption that my difficult circumstances had changed. No...but my perception did. There it was...my epiphany!
I realized without knowing, that as I took my eyes off my circumstances and focused on God, I saw good. And as I took my thoughts captive and under the obedience of Christ, I knew truth. I could no longer allow my negative thoughts to grow into a belief system of worry and doubt. I changed my focus and no longer believed that I had a handful of worms. Instead, I held in my hand truth instead of lies; faith instead of fear; hope instead of despair and joy instead of sorrow.
Where is your focus? Do you have a handful of worms or pasta?