WHEN TO STOP FOCUSING ON THE BIG PICTURE

The Big Picture

“It will all work out, just think about the Big Picture,” is a commonly heard phrase.  I would like to take a minute and humbly challenge that perspective.  

Sometimes, focusing on the “big picture” as it is called can just be too much and make us feel overwhelmed, heavily burdened, inadequate, in addition to reminding us of the overwhelming call to keep up!

The “big picture” can feel like an unbearable burden to have to measure up to when all we are ever called to do is to “do the next thing”.  The only thing we need to do is the next thing and to do it in such a way to show yourself and God that it matters. 

Is the entire day too much and too busy?  Are your load and daily life presently heavy and tiresome? Does it seem that you are alone and no one else can understand your heaviness, anxiety, worry, or angst? Are you presently walking through deep waters or burdensome trials that seem to never end?

Then, it may be time to shift your perspective OFF the Big Picture for a moment and zero in on what matters, right now, for this moment.

 Is the world asking you, “Are you going to live in that place forever? when will you get a different job? When will y’all have children?  Why are your children going to school there?  Will they attend that school forever?  Why aren’t you married yet?” 

All of these questions are so damaging and only serve more into the “worlds view” of keeping up with what they mandate matters at the time.  Keep in mind, you will never be able to keep up with what the world wants because it is always changing and as soon as you think you reach it, the rules change.  Besides that, it won’t bring you any true joy because you are chasing after the rules of someone else’s life and desires.

A Perspective Shift

Our heart’s desire isn’t designed to be there with the world and its standards, rules, and demands.  When God made us, He made us to long for something more, that’s for sure.  He designed us to long for Him.  Once you can find your rest in Him, your perspective changes.  You start to see clearly how irrelevant all these “worldly things and ideas” are and that God designed YOU TO BE YOU and to walk the life you are presently in.  

Contrary to what the world wants to tell you, your station in life or present sufferings or even present joys don’t last forever.  They are all a part of the beautiful story of your life that God is using to knit together the beautiful tapestry of His story.  

You are totally free to rest in Him, and simply do the next thing and keep on trusting Him in every moment of every day.  Doing the next thing, and not being overwhelmed by the big picture frees you to be in the moment, which is a beautiful and precious place to be.  

Thinking about “the big picture” in some cases steals you from the present moment.  It places undue stress into your soul, making the weight of the moment so heavy you long to flee far from it.  The details and doing the next thing and simply accomplishing it is sometimes all you can do, and that is enough!  

Do the next thing and leave the rest to God.  After that one thing is done, then do the next.  Don’t think about all the things that need to get done at once.  This could take you back into that heaviness and desperation, which is not where God designed us to be.  

Let’s take out those perspective glasses that we like to refer to here and challenge that concept!  

What if you looked at this picture and see each seashell as a task and the end game of the sun seems impossibly far away. It looks like way too much!!! All of the sudden, you may begin to shut down and give in before you even get started!  

All that is are the lies of the evil one; and he loves for you to feel overwhelmed, not good enough, incapable, not qualified, or any other lies in your head to keep you from moving forward.

Now, what if we zoom in really close and all of the sudden you can see the individual beauty of only the very next shell in front of you and the rest fade in the distance as we see clearly the detail of what is our next thing to do.

Now, we are seeing the detail…the beauty…the understanding that each seashell is as special as the next and they all need each other to make up the beauty that is the beach.  

This is just like life, and the details of our everyday lives, isn’t it?  God gives us such beauty around us to remind us that He loves us and hasn’t given up on us and won’t give up on us.  He sees each person just as He sees each blade of grass, each speck of sand, each hair on your head.  He is into the details.  The details do matter.  The details are important!  

Let’s forget about the big picture for a moment and focus on the very next task (detail) in front of you.   

I will put myself out there with y’all and let you know that what I am currently struggling with is launching this blog.  At the time of this writing, I haven’t launched yet, but have written a good 40 or more articles, conquered many behind the scenes learning obstacles along the way, and have learned so much already.  

This morning, I felt overwhelmed by all there was to do and thought about it “all” and wanted to avoid it.  I thought to myself, I will just clean the house.  Then I was reminded of something. 

Do NOT wait until you are inspired.  

Do NOT avoid your responsibilities.  

Sit down, do the very next thing and it will get done.  

So, I did a quick little pick up so I can feel good about my surrounding area, made myself a cup of coffee, put some of my favorite essential oils in my diffuser, grabbed my water bottle and computer, and here I am.  

I am not doing anything spectacular at all you see.  I think that is the idea this day and age is that because we all tend to live in the fishbowl that is social media. We spend so much time in our heads comparing ourselves to what others project of their own lives (and that’s all it mostly is, is projection) that we easily get discouraged and feel we don’t measure up to do our own jobs that we have been assigned.  

I am here to tell you that couldn’t be more of a lie!!!  

You are Equipped!

You are Capable!

You are Able!

You are Unique!

You are the only one who can be YOU!!!

Right now, let’s speak some truth together, shall we?

You are alive with breath in your lungs right now!

You are able to read as you are reading this article!

You are loved (if not by your own family, by us, but more importantly God!)

You are the only person on the face of the planet that can be YOU!!!

You are not a mistake as God doesn’t make mistakes!

You have gifts and abilities that are unique in you!

So, for now, let’s forget the Big Picture and encourage one another with the details in your life or on your agenda!

I will start with myself.  I can give you many examples, when focusing on the Big Picture was a burden to myself, but will start with a few, and then I want to hear from you.

Way back when when I was living in my car, I definitely couldn’t think long term about living in my car forever; so, I just focused on that very day.  How many job interviews I could go on (even though I was still working, I needed a better job!), what parking lot I would park my car in that night to sleep, and daily positive speaking to myself that I could do this and constantly talking to God! 

On the other hand, thinking about the big picture every now and then was also an encouragement, like this will NOT last forever, and dreaming about a bed, and so on.  But it wasn’t a place I could stay or my present work wouldn’t get done and I needed to stay focused at that moment.

Fast forward many many years…when I was a caregiver to my mom, thinking of the Big Picture sent me into anxiety and panic attacks, so I decided early on to not think about the long term at all!  This made the daily, hourly, and even minute to minute, much more bearable.  It still wasn’t easy or good or roses, but less anxiety-inducing.  I just worked on one thing at a time.  It truly was all I could do.  Focusing that way got everything done somehow, but I didn’t think about the everything that’s for sure!

Fast forward more years, and right now I have been struggling lately with launching this blog and all that goes with it.  How will I keep up with all the technical behind the scenes details; make sure all the comments get attention; write enough articles that are actually helpful; get them edited; all while also finishing my book I started a couple of years ago.  

But, when I stop thinking about the big picture of EVERYTHING that is required of me, it’s much more bearable and possible!

I am able to be in the moment right here writing this very article as I think about you and your life.  I am able to count so many blessings.  We have a roof over our heads, food in the fridge, clothes on our back, each other to count on, God to protect and lead us, and that is more than we could ever hope for!  Then, all of a sudden, everything else seems to pale in comparison and I am able to do the very next thing.

So, for now, this day, I choose to focus on you guys and how my heart longing is to reach and help and maybe inspire even just one person. So for now, I sit down and write this to you, hoping you can find the details instead of the big picture more relaxing, doable, and even hopeful?

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Please comment below with a time you were helped with slowing down and taking your eyes off the big picture and choosing the details and the next thing in your life.  We love to hear from y’all!

Blessings,

Susan