When our mind screams, “I’m worthless!” God whispers, “You are fearfully and wonderfully made.” (Psalm 149:14)

When we can’t go another step, God promises, “You will soar on wings like eagles.” (Isaiah 40:31)

When we feel small, problems seem to crowd in. They grow and get bigger. They push. They shove. They overwhelm. They remain in our path.

When we feel invincible, problems are mere speed bumps. They are tiny and insignificant–easy to pass over. They are left buried in the dust of our passing.

When we see mountains in the distance, they seem much smaller than when we stand at their base and gaze up at their towering heights. Likewise when we gaze at a vast, open

landscape, it is difficult to judge the immensity without an object of known dimensions to give it proportion.

When a problem or difficulty comes our way, we have a choice. We can stand at the base of the problem and gaze up at its enormity rising above us, or we can back off and look at it from a distance, putting it in perspective.

The best way to look at a problem is with God between it and us. Seeing a problem through God’s lens, provides a way to measure the problem. It reminds us that with God, anything is possible, and it reassures us that God has promised never to leave us or forsake us. He won’t leave us alone with our problems. If we cry out to Him, He will hear us and answer. Just as he answered Moses and the Israelites in the wilderness, He will answer our cries as well. Put your hope and trust in the God who promised to break every chain. No problem is to big or to hard for God to conquer.

Of course, that doesn’t mean God will rescue us from every problem or every situation we face. While He always answers our prayers, sometimes the answer isn’t what we desire it to be. We often must face the consequences of decisions we make. Sometimes we are forced to face the consequences of decisions made by others. And at other times, we face hardships brought about by the fact that we live in a world dominated by Satan–in a world subjugated by his lies and the sin they breed.

It is in these instances when we most need God. When the dire thing we face isn’t brought about by something we ourselves have done, we need the presence of our loving God the most. Using God’s love and Jesus’ sacrifice as a filter, we may continue to trust in His goodness AND in His sovereignty.

That God is both good and sovereign is the cornerstone of our faith. Even in the midst of a bad situation, we can hold to those things. Only a good and all-powerful God can turn all negatives into positives. The best part is we don’t have to understand how the math works–we just have to believe that it does.

Are you in a difficult situation? Maybe it even seems impossible. Let me know if I can pray for you. Try backing away from the problem enough to let God slip between you

and the problem. Try looking at it through the lens of God’s incredible love and grace. Let His mercy give you hope. I pray that the beauty captured in these photos might remind us all of God’s love. That He would create such breathtaking grandeur gives me hope and peace. May His love surround the hurting ones with his strength, and may those residing within His love reach out and draw others into his warm embrace.

God Bless each one.