Joel Osteen - Reframe It
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I want to talk to you today about Reframe It. How you see things will determine how you’re going to live. We don’t always see them as they are, we see them as we are we all have filters from which we view the world: how we were raised, past experiences, our personality, the culture. All these things affect our perspective. You can take two people and put them in the same situation, lot of good things happening, and a few negative. One will be happy, content, enjoying life. The other will be discouraged, worried, complaining about where they are. The difference is their filter. If your filter is contaminated, it’s going to distort everything you see, make you negative, and critical and «I can’t overcome this challenge». The problem is our perception becomes our reality. How we view it becomes real to us.
The scripture says «To the pure all things are pure». You have to reframe it. You could have a great life, great family to love, health, opportunity, but if you have the wrong frame, and you’re seeing it through a distorted lens, you won’t enjoy what God has given you. See it from a new perspective: positive, grateful, thanking God for what you have, focused on the good. See, every blessing brings a burden. You can’t be blessed without having more challenges. You prayed for that bigger house, but you have to clean it. You believe for that spouse, but he can get on your nerves. You dreamed of those children, they take a lot of work. If you focus on the burden, you’ll miss the blessing. Yet, the burden is only a fraction of what the blessing is.
I hear people say, «I got to go to work today». The truth is: you don’t have to go to work, you get to go to work. God gave you breath to breathe. He woke you up this morning, gave you that job, open that door, put talent in you. You need to reframe it. A lot of people would love to have your job, they’re looking for employment, sending out resumés, hoping the phone will ring. Have a new perspective, «Lord, thank you that I get to go to work today. Thank you for blessing me with this position». «Well, Joel, they don’t treat me right. This coworker always leaves me out, says derogatory things». That doesn’t have to steal your joy, reframe it, «Father, thank you that you are fighting my battles. In the meantime I’m going to shine right where you have me. I’m going to prosper where I’m planted».
Don’t go the next 20 years missing the blessing because you’re focused on the burden. «Well, I got to drive in traffic, it’s always backed up, it takes me forever». The fact that you’re in traffic tells me God’s blessed you with a car, he’s blessed you with eyesight, a sound mind. Reframe it, «Lord, I thank you that I get to drive in traffic today. Thank you for giving me the resources, the strength, the health». Changes your whole attitude. Really it dishonors God for us to go through the day complaining and focused on problems. This day is a gift from God. Once we live it, we can’t get it back. The enemy would love for you to waste years living a blessed life, but not recognizing it. Walking in God’s favor and protection, goodness, but always seeing the burden, what’s wrong, what you don’t have. Why you miss all the great things God has blessed you with?
«Well, I got to clean the house again today. Seems like that’s all I do». The fact is: you get to clean the house. God blessed you with a place to live. He’s given you strength, health to be productive. A lot of people in the hospital that would love to be able to get out and go to work, and go to the grocery store, and mow the lawn. Reframe it. Instead of complaining, as you vacuum, «Lord, thank you that my arms work. Thank you that my lungs function. Thank you that I have energy and mobility». «Yeah, Joel, I do that, but my house is too small. I don’t like being here». Here’s the key: if you don’t get happy where you are, you probably won’t get to where you want to be. If you learn to thank God for what you have, then God can multiply it.
You remember when the disciples brought the five loaves and two fish to Jesus, it wasn’t enough. There were 5,000 people they needed to feed. Jesus could have been disgruntled, thought «What good is this? I need a whole lot more». But the scripture says, «He lifted up the loaves and the fish and thank God for it». When he gave thanks for what was not enough, God multiplied it, and it fed all 5,000 people. Sometimes we’re waiting for God to multiply are not enough, but we’re missing this step: we’re discouraged, complaining, «God, when are you going to change this»? Try a different approach, «Father, I thank you for this small apartment. Lord, I thank you for this older car. God, I’m grateful for this job, even though they’re not treating me right». When you thank God for what’s not enough, that’s when God can multiply things and bring you into more than enough.
«Well, Joel, I’m so tired of taking care of my children, cooking meals, picking up the toys, having to get up in the middle of the night». You need to reframe it: you’re focused on the burden, missing the blessing. Do you know how many people would love to have your children? I pray for couples after every service that are believing to conceive. Their dream is to have a child. Some spend thousands of dollars on fertility treatments. They’d give anything to have your child. But when you’re only focused on the burden, it’ll drain your energy and take your joy, make you critical. Well, you don’t enjoy who they are, you just trying to get through the day, got to get them through preschool, get them through junior high. Have a new perspective: those children are a gift that God’s entrusted you with. He could have given them to anyone, but he chose you. Take time to celebrate who they are, laugh at the funny things they do, enjoy their personalities.
Life is flying by. You look up and they’re grown. Don’t miss the beauty of this day. «Well, Joel, I understand about the house, the car, the kids, but this spouse of mine, he gets on my nerves. This woman I’m married to, she stresses me out». This may surprise you, but some people would love to have your spouse. That husband that irritates you, some ladies would be thrilled to be his wife. I know some of you are thinking, «Can I give you a phone number»? But the truth is: everyone has flaws, everyone has weaknesses, but most of the time they have many more good things than they do negative. What are you focusing on: the blessing or the burden?
I’ve seen people break up over little things that they let turn into big things. You need to see the good in the people God has given you to love. The scripture (Colossians 3:13) says to «Make allowances for their weaknesses». Not make a list of their weaknesses, not rehearse all the things you don’t like, remind them where they fall short.
People respond to praise more than they do criticism. Instead of complaining that your husband never mows the lawn, never takes the trash out, next time they do try praising him for it, complimenting him. «Man, you look so good mowing that lawn. Your muscles are so big taking out that trash». You praise him like that, he’ll take the trash out every hour. Instead of complaining about the things your wife does that you don’t like, nitpicking, petty, stirring things up, try telling her how beautiful she looks all through the day, and how glad you are that she’s your wife, and thank her for being such a great mother, making the home so loving, fun and peaceful. This is not complicating, it’s just re-framing, shifting our perspective from seeing what’s wrong, to seeing what’s right. From focusing on the burden to focusing on the blessing.
I read where in relationships your spouse is only going to have 80% of what you need. They can be the best person: loving, caring, kind, but no person has 100%. There are going to be areas that they can’t give you. If you don’t recognize they can’t be everything, they’re not superman or superwoman, you’ll get frustrated. And often we focus on the 20% that they don’t have, rather than enjoying the 80% that they do have. Your husband may be a hard worker, credibly responsible, he’s great with the kids, but he’s not a big talker, he’s more quiet. That’s okay, he’s got 80%. Instead of being sour, trying to get something from him that he can’t give, recognize that’s who he is. Celebrate all his good qualities, go call a girlfriend and talk with them.
That person I’m describing is me. I talk a lot up here, I love to laugh and have fun, but I’m not one to sit around, talk about my deepest feelings, find out all the latest information. My mind is more simple. I have a friend that wrote his wife a poem for valentine’s day, it was so Romantic, it rhymed, it was moving, inspirational. I told him you didn’t do this, I wrote this thing. He said «No, it was me». I have to remind Victoria all the time, «You didn’t marry Romeo, you married Joelio». But some people, seriously, they will leave the 80% that their spouse doesn’t have, they’ll find that 20% that they were looking for in another person. The problem is: this new person is not going to have the 20%, they’re lacking something their spouse had.
If you don’t understand that nobody has 100%, you’ll get frustrated, comparing your friend’s situation to yours: her spouse does this and that and the other, they’re telling you all of his strengths, they’re not telling you that he leaves his socks on the floor every night, and when he snores you can hear it, they don’t say anything about the 20% that he’s missing. You need to remember the reason you fell in love: the joy, the laughter, the great personality. God has blessed you with that person as a gift. It’s easy to let petty things start to erode the love, and lessen respect, diminish the good qualities. You need to reframe it, start seeing the blessing that your spouse is, start complimenting them, expressing your love, treating them like they’re a gift from God.
When someone is good to your children, loving and kind, and makes them feel valuable, as a parent you would do anything for that person. They’re taking care of your child, your most precious possession. That’s the way it is with God. When you treat people with love and compassion, and you make them feel valuable, attractive, worthy, you are taking care of God’s greatest treasure. You can be assured that God will take care of you. The scripture (1 Peter 3:7) says, «Husbands, if we don’t treat our wives right, then it will hinder our prayers». Makes a difference how we treat people. We shouldn’t be contentious, always wanting to argue, having to be right. Or petty, making a big deal out of little things, holding grudges, saying things we know we shouldn’t. When we mistreat people, we’re mistreating God’s creation. Many times the root cause is we’re focusing on the 20% that we don’t like. We’re magnifying their negative qualities. Reframe it, focus on the good.
I know a couple that lives in another state, and they were always complaining about their house, and how it was too small, and they didn’t care for the neighbors, told how they were unfriendly, there was no community. Plus this house was far from the city, took a long time to drive to work. They wanted something closer in. It was a constant source of frustration, year after year, they weren’t happy. Unfortunately, business went down and the husband was laid off. The wife had to get a part-time job, and the husband kept looking for work, but they didn’t have the funds to make their house payment. Things got tighter and tighter, and looked like they were going to lose their house. They were very distraught, they kept praying, believing that God would make a way.
Right when it was about to be foreclosed on, a bank stepped in and allowed them to refinance and they were able to save their house. They were so happy, they called me like they had won the lottery, «Joel, God stepped in, everything fell into place. We don’t have to move out». This was the house they didn’t like, the the same place they complained about for years, but when it was almost taken away they had a new perspective. They love that house, they didn’t see the burden of it, being too far, too small, unfriendly neighbors. They were going over to their neighbors for dinner, the same neighbors they said were unfriendly. Here’s my point: they had what they needed to be happy the whole time, they just didn’t see it.
I wonder if there are things that we’re complaining about, things you don’t like, that are frustrating you: your job, your spouse, your child, but if it was taken away you would have a different perspective. Are you focused on the burden missing the blessing? And I’m not saying to not dream and want to rise higher, but while you’re waiting for things to change, don’t get sour and miss the beauty of this day. Enjoy where you are while you’re on the way way to where God is taking you. Too often, like this couple, we’re not going to be happy until we get the new job. Or that new car and get rid of this piece of junk. Or that new relationship: I can’t be happy with my spouse. But if you’re putting off your happiness to a later time, 'till things fall into line, you get what you’re believing for, you’re going to miss years of your life not being happy. The truth is: you have what you need to be happy right now if you’ll just reframe it. You don’t need a new job, a new spouse, a new car, all you need is a new mindset, a new perspective to learn to focus on the 80% that’s good, and not the 20% that’s not.
About a month ago, there was a Tuesday where I scheduled a lot of things that I didn’t want to do. I had to go to a clinic 7 o’clock, and give blood for a health checkup. 10 o’clock I had a eye doctor’s appointment. That afternoon I had to meet a contractor at the house, and run errands. All these things I’ve been putting off, none of which I was looking forward to. A couple weeks before I started dreading that day, thought «I don’t want to be at the clinic at 7, I won’t get up and go through my normal routine», but when we dread things, we’re making plans to have a hard day. It’s like we’re using our faith, but in the wrong direction. Every time I thought about that that Tuesday, I’d feel more heaviness and more discouragement. After a while I realized: I was making myself miserable. I’m focused on the burden, I got to do a few things I don’t want to do. The blessing is: I’m alive, I’m healthy, got opportunity, beautiful family, a sound mind. Had to reframe it.
I had to let that negative take over, and I shifted my perspective to «I’m going to have a great day that Tuesday. I’m going to enjoy that day». I made up my mind that I was going to be a blessing to people wherever I went. I was going to lift someone’s spirit, brighten their day, encourage them. Every time I was tempted to dread it I thought, «No, I’m on a mission. I’m going to be good to somebody that day». And sometimes the reason we’re sour is we’re only thinking of ourselves: my plans, my goals, my problems, what I don’t want to do. We weren’t created to be ingrown. I realized it’s not all about me, God is ordering my steps. If he has me there, then I need to be there with a good attitude. I need to leave that place better than it was before.
You think about how there are maybe 8 billion people on the earth, but on an average day you may come across a dozen people that you interact with: people at work, the clerk at the grocery store, the receptionist at the gym. It’s not thousands, it’s just a handful. Those are people God has ordained to come across your path. It’s not random, God is divinely orchestrating where you are. That’s an opportunity to be a blessing, to brighten their day, to lift their spirit. Maybe just a smile, a kind word, a simple compliment, holding the door open for them. Something that leaves them better, makes them feel valuable, lets them know that you care.
See, we all have things that we can dread, things we’re not looking forward to. And sometimes it’s not simple things like me on that Tuesday: it’s taking treatment for the cancer, it’s going through the legal battle, it’s dealing with a child that’s off course. Yes, it’s difficult, but you have to reframe it: you’ve been armed with strength for that battle. God wouldn’t have allowed it if it was to stop your destiny. Don’t go in with the defeated mentality, «This is not fair. I’ll never get through it». No, be strong, be of good courage, the Lord your God is with you. Dreading takes your strength, weakens your faith, sour your attitude. You have to see that challenge through the right lens, the lens of faith, the lens of «No weapon formed against you will prosper», the lens of «What God started in your life he’s going to finish».
It’s interesting that David never called Goliath a giant. The other men in the army described his stature, they ran in fear when he came out and taunted them each morning. David could have been intimidated, thought «I don’t have a chance», but he reframed it. He said (1 Samuel 17:26), «Who is this uncircumcised Philistine that he should defy the armies of the living God». He was saying, «I’m not focused on how big he is, I’m focused on how big my God is». The scripture (Philippians 1:28) says, «Do not be intimidated by your enemies». When you face giants, you shouldn’t go around talking about how big they are, how you’ll never get well, never get out of debt, never meet the right person. Quit calling your problems «Giants». If you’re making them bigger in your mind, it’s making you smaller. Do like David: reframe it. In the natural it may look big, but God is supernatural, he’s not limited by what limits us.
And this is where the Israelites missed it. They came to the Promised Land. God had already told them it was theirs, but they had to go in and take it. So Moses sent 12 men to spy out the land. After 40 days ten came back said, «We don’t have a chance. There are giants in the land. We were in our own sights like grasshoppers». Notice their lens: can’t do it, people too big, we’re like grass grasshoppers. There were two other spies, Joshua and Caleb. They came back and said, «Moses, we are well able. Yes, the people are big, but we know our God is bigger. Let us go in at once and take this land». They saw the same people as the first 10 spies, same giants, same land, but their perspective was just the opposite. They were seeing through a different lens: a lens of faith. Those first 10 spies never did go into the Promised Land, the only two from that whole group were Joshua and Caleb. Makes a difference what lens you’re seeing things from.
Well, years later the Israelites made it to Jericho. The Promised Land was on the other side. Joshua sent men to spy out that land. A lady named Rahab took the spies in, and hid them in her home, kept them from being caught. She said to the spies in Joshua 2:9-11, «We are all afraid of you, living in terror. For we have heard how the Lord your God has parted the Red Sea. Our hearts have melted with fear. No one has the courage to fight after hearing those things».
Here’s what’s amazing: those original 10 spies felt like grasshoppers, but the truth is: the opposition was afraid of them. They thought the Israelites were the giants. But look at what the wrong perspective can do: if you’re seeing yourself small, limited, your problem’s too big, that’s going to keep you from your destiny. If you knew the truth, the enemy is afraid of you, you are powerful, you have the spirit of the Most High God on the inside.
The same spirit that raised Christ from the dead, the same spirit that opened blind eyes, shut the mouths of lions, wiped out 185,000 enemies in one moment. That’s who you are. Now, get rid of that grasshopper lens, that defeated mentality. You may have some giants: reframe it, «Greater is he that’s in you than what’s trying to stop you. You’re not a grasshopper, you’re a giant killer. You’re a history maker. You are here to take new ground, to go where no one in your family has gone».
This is what I had to do when my father passed. I saw myself as limited, and reserved, and too quiet. I thought «I can’t pastor the church, speak in front of people, I don’t have that ability». I had to see myself through a different lens, to be open to think «Maybe there’s talent in me that I haven’t seen. Maybe I’m stronger, more courageous, more successful than I think I am». I was seeing myself through a lens of limitation, a lens of not enough, and «I can’t measure up to my father», but none of that was true. Like Rahab said about the 10 spies, «We were afraid of you. We knew who you were». The tragedy is: the spies didn’t know who they were. Can I tell you? The enemy knows who you are! He knows you’re a masterpiece, talented, strong, smart, valuable, a history maker, with seeds of greatness, destined to leave your Mark.
My challenge is: don’t go through life and not know who you are. I would not be up here if I had not reframed it. I had to be open to the fact that maybe I haven’t seen all of who I am, maybe I’ve been looking through a distorted lens that’s lessened who God made me to be. When I changed the frame, I stepped into favor and purpose that I never dreamed.
Are there things that you need to reframe today? You’re looking at how big the problem is instead of looking at how big our God is? You’re focused on the burden, missing the blessing? Sour over the 20% missing the 80%? Reframe it: no more «I got to go to work», turn it around, «Lord, thank you that I get to go to work today. I’m grateful to have breath to breathe». Don’t miss another day being sour. Learn to be be happy where you are. Find the good in each situation. If you’ll do this, I believe and declare: like David, giants are about to come down. Supernatural breakthrough, supernatural favor, healing, provision, the fullness of your destiny, in Jesus name. And if you receive it, can you say amen today?