Change Your Perspective

Have you ever had a situation and you only thought of it from one angle until someone else showed you a different perspective? After talking with one of my cousin's the other day she gave me a completely different perspective of where Pat and I are currently. It's so hard to see the bigger picture when you're just a small piece in the picture itself and it typically takes a 3rd party to really show you a different perspective. I was watching the movie The Prince of Egypt the other day with the kids and there was a song where the guy talks about how one piece of thread within a woven rug doesn't understand it's design, but when you step back and see all the pieces woven together, it creates a beautiful design . The song starts at about 1:40.
Anyway, my cousin gave me this:
Isaiah 66:7-14
"Before she went into labor,
she had the baby.
Before the birth pangs hit,
she delivered a son.
Has anyone ever heard of such a thing?
Has anyone seen anything like this?
A country born in a day?
A nation born in a flash?
But Zion was barely in labor
when she had her babies!
Do I open the womb
and not deliver the baby?
Do I, the One who delivers babies,
shut the womb?

10-11"Rejoice, Jerusalem,
and all who love her, celebrate!
And all you who have shed tears over her,
join in the happy singing.
You newborns can satisfy yourselves
at her nurturing breasts.
Yes, delight yourselves and drink your fill
at her ample bosom."

12-13God's Message:

"I'll pour robust well-being into her like a river,
the glory of nations like a river in flood.
You'll nurse at her breasts,
nestle in her bosom,
and be bounced on her knees.
As a mother comforts her child,
so I'll comfort you.
You will be comforted in Jerusalem."

14-16You'll see all this and burst with joy
—you'll feel ten feet tall—
As it becomes apparent that God is on your side
and against his enemies.

This isn't talking about our exact situation obviously but it makes since in our circumstances. Basically what it's saying is that going through trials is like a woman in labor. It's painful and intense but you have to go through it in order to receive the blessing afterwards. Sometimes we're doing all we can and yet things still seem to be going rough. It's all part of the grand design.