As I took my morning walk the other week I noticed leaves had change color overnight. I also noticed a few trees whose leaves previously had some color were now in the last stage before losing all foliage. I was impressed and perplexed. Then my non-prescription sunglasses slipped down my nose and the true colors of the trees were exposed. There was no change to the coloring of leaves. The red ones still favored the green color for most of their foliage. The brown-ready-to-fall leaves still had fading color. Interesting. When I re-positioned the glasses I discovered how my perception was being skewed by my sunglasses.

Yes, both types of trees had some leaves holding the distorted color but the majority of the foliage remained the true coloring.

Thinking it may just be all sunglasses that give off this misperception, I checked the same area with my prescription sunglasses. Guess what? There was no change in the coloring.

Immediately I thought of the statement – take off your rose-colored glasses. I checked. It is a saying implying that a person is ideally seeing a situation for what they thought should be there rather than from an objective stance.

After my experience I can see that if we are not careful we can fall prey to those who would paint things not just more beautiful than they truly are BUT may also describe things to be worse than the true state. Who is to be believed? How do we know to trust our sources of information?

Keep your eyes and ears on Jesus. Pray to Him. Talk to Him. Ask Him to show you the truth. Are things really in bad straits, leading you to fear and wandering? OR. Are things more bright and beautiful than what is being said loudly or how it appears to be? Is there a better outlook than what is being painted?

Only God can tell you when to pray, when to celebrate, when to turn your focus. Only God can give you peace. Only God can comfort you and encourage you to trust Him.

He is our HOPE.