Seeing (the "Whole Picture")
“In our human condition, we do not always see things as they are: the fog of war and pain sets in. It is helpful to remember that though spiritual blindness may be due to moral failure, it is also a component of the human condition, due to our fallen state…To eyes compromised by the Fall, appearances are often deceiving. Even if we accurately see part of the present situation, we do not see the beginning and the end, nor the nexus of our life with that of others: we miss the whole picture.” (Edith M. Humphrey)
“It would seem wonderful if in our prayers we could receive everything that we want and ask for. After all, who knows better than we do what we really need? And yet the Gospel story, in all its gentle wisdom seeks to remind us that this is not the case. As finite men and women, we seldom see the whole picture or know all the story. Quite the contrary is true; in what we want or ask for, we seldom glance beyond the immediate moment, or take the longer view…a wise man once suggested that each of us write our ten greatest priorities in life and seal them in an envelope, and that ten years later we open and read them. What we thought we wanted then, we can be sure, will bear no resemblance to what is important now. It is always like this. That is why Christ in His prayer asked for nothing specific except that God's will be done. He knew and trusted in God's greater wisdom. He also knew that when our heavenly Father declines our request it is not so that He can show us His strength, but rather so that we can learn that He loves us best.” (Rev. Andrew Demotses)
“We need to be careful how we judge success in our lives and not see it strictly through worldly lenses. If we are experiencing prosperity, we can slip into thinking ourselves successful but we need to take inventory of our hearts and make sure we are still living according to how Christ calls us to live. If we are experiencing failure, we need to remember that we don’t always see the whole picture, or the big picture, and continue to be prayerful to discern how God may be working within what we think is our failure.” (Sacramental Living Ministries)
“Since it is not possible for us to see the whole picture from God’s perspective, we must exercise faith and believe that the God of all the earth will do right and that all things do work together for good to those who love God, who are called according to His purpose.” (Foundation Study Bible, Genesis 45:5)
“Christ our God sees within us, taking into account our motives, intentions, desires, and actions – the whole picture. The factors laid bare before His gaze include our process of decision-making, the motivations that prompt us, and the hidden wrestling with our urges, both noble and corrupt. Other people may guess at what is taking place within us, but the Lord knows; He misses nothing, inwardly or outwardly.” (Dynamis 12/20/2014)