It has often been said that perception is everything. Not true. Reality is everything. However perception is the very next thing because what we perceive affects our reality. For centuries we were sure that the earth was flat, but Columbus had the guts to challenge that belief and the fear that he would fall of the end of the earth. Yet, all he challenged was a perception and discovered true reality. The world had always been round but the false perception dramatically affected the belief of what was possible and the willingness to explore. Reality doesn’t wait on us to change or conform to our perception. How much of your life is controlled by your perception of reality? God is the creator of reality and He is calling us to a great Awakening. One that may take you out of the center of your universe, and cause you to change the way you look at whats possible.
In Mark chapter 4 we see a moment when the disciples perception was totally changed. This wasn’t the first and it wouldn’t be the last, because in a life of following Christ our perceptions will consistently be challenged to more closely reflect God’s reality. Is that true in your life? Are you letting God’s reality challenge and change your perception? Mark 4:35-41 contains the account of Jesus calming the wind and the waves and in this passage we can learn several factors critical to our perspective being changed.
Nothing new is possible until your view changes. “Leaving the crowd behind…” In order for our view to change, we must leave the crowd behind. The crowd will always fight to hold you in it and keep your dreams squashed by the weight of its reality. Yet all great human accomplishments were accomplished by ordinary people in the midst of an ordinary life…who left the crowd behind.
“…they took Him along…” The disciples were veteran seaman. They didn’t think they would need any help, yet how would the story have ended if He hadn’t been with them. Left to ourselves we will always attempt to do life on our own and only bring God along when we feel its too much for us. Its that mentality that is blocking God from doing all He wants in our life. Our perception that God does not want to be or is not involved in our daily life is affecting the reality of Him working in our daily life. Our perspective must change. We must take Jesus along with us everywhere, everyday.
“…just as He was…” Nothing new was true about Jesus. He hadn’t changed any, in fact He never changes. He was no more powerful in that moment than He had been up to that point, yet to the disciples their eyes were opened to a brand new reality that He had power over the wind and the waves. The reality is that the same God that was there is here. There is nothing new about God, and there doesn’t need to be. He is eternally enough, eternally powerful, and eternally beyond all we know or need. Is that your reality? What’s your perspective of God in your life? Is He powerful enough to change the things that are wrong in your life? Is He enough for you? The reality is that He is, but your perspective can prevent that reality from coming true in your life.
We must leave the crowd behind, take Jesus with us, realizing that everyday is important to Him, and realize that He is already all He needs to be to accomplish all that He wants to do in our lives. All the changes He wants to do in your life, all the ways He wants to create the impossible, hinge on that change of reality if He can just Awaken you.
