When life hits us with a storm of problems, the first thing that usually gets impaired is our view. We usually only see the immediate, the here and now, the critical issue that needs attention. Problems are all we see; it is in most cases our first reaction. We get immersed in the situation and our view becomes focused on that particular item. Health, finances, relationships, whatever it is that is hitting close to home, takes center stage and it seems to come to us with a vengeance. We look around and the only thing we see is a hopeless bottom.

Isn’t it curious that we can one day be at the top of our game and seem that we can conquer the world and then suddenly, we are thrown to our knees begging for help because we can’t see a way to even conquer ourselves? Life is hard. For some, it’s harder than most and we cannot understand why, or even make sense of it many times. It is in these moments where an uninvited guest usually knocks at our door and without hesitation strolls in. Regret mines our mind and accuses us continually. “Why did you say that?” or “Why did you do that? If you hadn’t gone there, or If you hadn’t bought that everything would have been different.” That list can go on and on. Regret points us even further down to the bottom, whispering to us that this is a permanent place for us and that we blew it.

But the bottom even as hard as it might be, has another vantage point, UP. You see, being at the bottom is sometimes a good place to be to look from. Everything looks different, you see life from a different perspective. You appreciate life in a deeper more profound way. We can decide to continue to roam and resign ourselves to live in the low places, or we can scout the bottom for a step to move up. King David penned it best in Psalm 121; “I lift up my eyes to the mountains—where does my help come from? My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth.” A beautiful view from the bottom.

The bottom is a reminder for us to look up. To raise our voices and focus our view to higher, greater, bigger places. I know that the feeling at the bottom is sometimes a constant angst, despair. A place of loneliness and shame. But it also can be if you decide, a place of hope and new vision. When our inner eyes look up, our outer circumstances will follow suit. A place of despair can become a place of hope. A place of tears can become a place of joy. A place of sickness can become a place of healing. A place at the bottom can become a place to look up.

A place at the bottom can be a vantage point. A place to look up to our Heavenly father, that in the midst of your current circumstances is waiting for you to look to him. You might not know your next step, and even thinking of taking one is frighting because you fear it will make your stay at the bottom permanent. But the great thing to remember is that He created the heavens and the earth and knows and created every path imaginable on your trek up the mountain. And if there is none, he will make one.

No more tears, no more regrets. Lift your eyes towards the mountains and take the next step. Your Heavenly father awaits. And you have the best view right now, a view from the bottom.

“BREATHE expectantly, LIVE confidently and MOVE Boldly”

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© Copyright Danny Maldonado, 2014
Scripture quotations are taken from The Holy Bible: Today’s New International Version. 2005. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.