By January 2, I knew the holiday season was over. The outside of our home agreed and my teenage son took down our outside Christmas decorations. The inside of our home saw things differently.

For a few more days, our Christmas tree stood in all of its ornament laden splendor. The contrast was undeniable. The rainy day outside my window begged for brushstrokes of something cheerier. The holiday colors inside were a welcome sight. I wondered.

How often do outside circumstances affect what happens inside our hearts and minds?

It probably depends on the circumstance and if it affects the people we know and love. But there is a truth to anchor us.

You’re blessed when you get your inside world—your mind and heart—put right. Then you can see God in the outside world. — Matthew 5:8 MSG

How’s your inside world? It’s probably something to see. My inside world — my perspective and priorities — dictates my response to who and what’s around me.

In the dreariness of the rain, I saw a colorless, leafless landscape. And yet, I missed seeing the God who hydrates His creation. Feeling the cold draft through an open door, I felt the need to shut the door quickly. However, I didn’t focus on the God who is my Refuge. I aim to develop the discipline of “noticing God.” He’s everywhere. He’s in the smallest of details and oversees the big picture.

But amazingly, there are days when I mostly notice my discomfort in a task or my disappointment over an event. However, the Matthew 5:8 verse is on the list of the Beatitudes. They are descriptions of a blessed life from God’s point of view.

To see Him in the outside world, a great deal has to change in our inside world. He gives us the power to change as we place our faith in Christ (see Romans 3:21-23). Through Him, a blessing awaits when our hearts and minds are “put right,” meaning put in sync with His purposes and plans.

With a pure heart, unhindered by selfish motives and stubborn fears, we see God. Our spiritual vision sharpens and we see His heart for us to know Him and make Him known.

We begin to respond to who and what’s around us based on who He is and what He does.

We see Him in a difficulty and in a delight.

We see Him inside our circle of influence and in the lives of perceived “outsiders.”

And even if we don’t see Him, we know that He sees us.

To the extent that our “inside life” is aligned with His purposes, we’ll see God in our outside world.

This past weekend, our inside Christmas decorations were also put away. Now the exterior and interior of my home are back in sync. But I’m more concerned about my inside life aligning with God’s purposes. It’s the surest way to see hope for the heart and joy to the soul.