Sometimes you just need something different. I'm pretty consistent when it comes to what I put on TV, especially since most of the time I'm multitasking while I've got it on in the background. So I'm not looking for a show that's going to pull me in or really engage me, so I stick with a couple of tried and true shows I've probably seen all the episodes of. But every so often I put on a home search/renovation show or cartoon or movie or something else because sometimes you just need something different. It's like when you go to a restaurant you visit regularly and instead of ordering one of your top 5 you order something different that's a little outside the box for you. Or you drive a different way to your destination (either by force because of detours or by choice). Or you get the summer weekly special at the local ice cream shop. Or read a biography when you usually read science fiction. Sometimes you just want or need something different in your life.
It's not just about variety being the spice of life (because variety is good) but also about how sometimes it's only when something is different that you can see the bigger picture. This is so important because we do get tunnel vision and we get focused in on our lives and moving forward, none of which is bad, but it's like having a delicious dessert put in front of you and not being aware of the fact that you missed the first few courses, all of which were delicious too. You missed out on the rest because you were so focused on dessert, which isn't a bad thing, but there's more to life than just what's in your narrow focus. Because if you're not seeing both the big picture and the little details, and and you're only living the status quo day in and day out, you're going to miss out on a lot.
Another way of looking at these moments are gifts from God or God's little reminders that He's with us. It can be easy to forget that God exists because we just don't see Him like we see the other people and things around us. God doesn't send us collection notices when we don't pay a bill or alerts when our bank account is low, He doesn't make noise like our stomachs do when we get hungry, He doesn't text us to check in if He hasn't heard from us in a while. So sometimes in all that goes on around us it can be easy to get distracted and miss the very clear and present signs that God is with us and we're not alone. Which is why He sends fireflies in the summer, cool displays in the sky as the light changes to begin or end a day, heart-prompts to message someone or go somewhere, travel connections you didn't think you would make but do to see a dying relative, bonus discounts on your favorite products, that perfect Bible verse popping up in your Bible app or email inbox, flowers with the most perfect fragrance, laugh-inducing animal antics, and other moments that catch you by surprise or warm your heart that you just know have to be alerts or blessings from God sent to you to remind you that He's aware of what's going on in your life and with you every step of the way.
So go out and do something different this week. Try doing something in a different way just to get your muscles, mental or physical, moving in a way that's different than they usually do. Try learning something new, trying something new, or going somewhere new. And most of all let God know that you're going to be paying attention to see how He shows up in your life and the world around you.
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