Seeing God’s Family through the Overview Lens
Tamara W. Runia, First Counselor in the Young Women General Presidency
Sister Tamara W. Runia teaches how to see family relationships through an eternal lens, offering hope and love.
Open talk in Gospel LibraryContents
Topics
Adopting an Eternal Perspective
Sister Runia encourages us to zoom out and view our lives and our families through an eternal lens, which can help us to see the bigger picture and fill us with hope and joy.
As humans, we have an earthbound point of view, but God sees the grand overview of the universe. He sees all creation, all of us, and is filled with hope.
Is it possible to begin to see as God sees even while living on the surface of this planet—to feel this overview feeling? I believe we can, through the eye of faith, zoom out and view ourselves and our families with hope and joy.Key Points:
- We can begin to see as God sees, even while living on earth.
- An eternal perspective can fill us with hope and joy.
- Can you recall a time when adopting an eternal perspective helped you through a difficult situation?
- How has viewing your life through the "overview lens" changed your outlook?
- Can you share an experience when you felt God's hope and joy through an eternal perspective?
Choosing Hope Over Worry
Sister Runia shares her personal experiences to illustrate the importance of choosing hope over worry, especially when dealing with loved ones who may be struggling.
He’d learned from experience that worry feels a lot like love, but it’s not the same. He used the eye of faith to see that everything would work out, and his hopeful approach changed me.
Our job is not to teach someone who’s going through a rough patch that they are bad or disappointing. On rare occasions we may feel prompted to correct, but most often let’s tell our loved ones in spoken and unspoken ways the messages they long to hear: "Our family feels whole and complete because you are in it." "You will be loved for the rest of your life—no matter what."Key Points:
- Hope is a more effective approach than worry when dealing with loved ones.
- Our words and actions should be hopeful and encouraging, especially towards those who are struggling.
- Can you share a time when choosing hope over worry made a difference in your relationship with a loved one?
- How has a hopeful approach influenced your interactions with others?
- Can you recall an instance when a message of hope positively impacted you or someone you know?
The Importance of Love and Empathy
Sister Runia emphasizes the importance of love and empathy in our interactions with others, suggesting that these qualities can lead to deeper understanding and stronger relationships.
Sometimes what we need is empathy more than advice; listening more than a lecture; someone who hears and wonders, "How would I have to feel to say what they just said?"
Let’s admit, in a fallen world there’s no way to be a perfect spouse, parent, son or daughter, grandchild, mentor, or friend—but a million ways to be a good one. Let’s stay at the tree, partake of the love of God, and share it. By lifting the people around us, we ascend together.Key Points:
- Empathy and listening are often more beneficial than advice or lectures.
- Sharing God's love and lifting others helps us to ascend together.
- Can you share a time when empathy and listening made a significant difference in a relationship?
- How has sharing God's love helped you and others to "ascend together"?
- Can you recall an experience when you felt deeply understood and loved?
The Power of Faith in Difficult Times
Sister Runia testifies of the power of faith in difficult times, reassuring us that with faith in Jesus Christ, everything will be alright in the end.
Is there something difficult in your life right now, something you’re worried can’t be resolved? Without the eye of faith, that might feel like God has lost oversight of things, and is that true?
It is my witness that the Savior has the ability, because of His Atonement, to turn any nightmare you are going through into a blessing.Key Points:
- Faith can help us to see that God is in control, even in difficult times.
- The Savior, through His Atonement, can turn our trials into blessings.
- Can you share a time when your faith helped you through a difficult situation?
- How has the Atonement of Jesus Christ turned a trial into a blessing in your life?
- Can you recall an experience when faith reassured you that everything would be alright?
The Role of Family in Our Spiritual Journey
Sister Runia discusses the role of family in our spiritual journey, describing it as a God-given laboratory where we learn to love at a deeper, godlike level.
Remember, families are a God-given laboratory where we’re figuring things out, so missteps and miscalculations are not just possible but probable. And wouldn’t it be interesting if, at the end of our lives, we could see that those relationships, even those challenging moments, were the very things that helped us to become more like our Savior?
In earthly families, we’re simply doing what God has done with us—pointing the way and hoping our loved ones will go in that direction, knowing the path they travel is theirs to choose.Key Points:
- Our families provide opportunities for us to learn and grow, even through challenges.
- In our families, we can emulate God by pointing the way and allowing loved ones to choose their own path.
- Can you share an experience when a family situation helped you to learn and grow?
- How has your family been a "God-given laboratory" for you?
- Can you recall a time when you pointed the way for a loved one, allowing them to choose their own path?
