In these troublesome days when we read the paper, watch the news on TV, listen to everyone’s opinion, we come away with everything except peace and hope for tomorrow.
It sounds simplistic, but stop watching, reading and listening to them. My hubby had a doctor who for sure was a frustrated comedian. One time my hubby went with a pain in his shoulder. He told the doctor when he lifted his arm his shoulder really hurt. The doctor told him – well just stop lifting it.
Life is not that simple. But good advice it is—if you are nervous, upset, anxious, worried, afraid and dismayed with what you are hearing and seeing—you need to look and listen to something else.
God didn’t create mankind so we’d go to bed, and wake up in dread of what is going to happen. He wants us to walk in the peace and joy that comes from trusting Him with our today, tomorrow and every day after.
Jesus told us we’d have trials and tribulation in the world, but in Him we’d have peace because He has overcome the world. (John 16:33)
We certainly know these days are perilous, unsettling and fearful times.
We want to be aware of what is going on. However, we don’t want it to rule our emotions, or direct our paths. We need not to focus on them.
Meaning of the word “focus” is the center of interest or activity.
Our newspaper this week printed a long article with charts to show what people were worried and afraid of because of the coronavirus. 77% of the people were worried about the aftereffects in our cities and economy. 72% were worried and anxious about themselves, and their loved ones getting the corona virus, and even dying from it. The list went on and on. If you weren’t dreading anything before you read it, you would be when you finished.
Jesus told us there would be times when the world would be shaken and men’s hearts would fail them for what they see. It would be times like the world has never seen. But,then Jesus tells us..Now when these things begin to occur look up and lift up your heads, because your redemption is drawing near. (Luke 21:25-28)
God is still in control of this world. He gives us the answer – don’t look/focus on what you see, or what you think might happen. Look and focus on Him and His word. In the book of Isaiah it tells us Jesus/Messiah in season would speak words to us who are weary.(Is 50:4)
For those of us who are weary of what we are hearing, and projecting what will happen – He has a word for us. Look up!
The people of God, the Christians, are the salt and the light in our corner of the world. However, we can only be the salt and light as we focus on Him and His promises. The church today generally speaking is powerless. (Of course, there are some churches who are walking in revival.) We are supposed be as the church in the book of Acts. They turned the world upside down.
Unfortunately, we seem the ones turned upside down from what Christ commanded His church. We for the most part are a powerless church.
Whatever happened to the church of the book of Acts. That is to be our pattern of living in the world. Preaching the gospel, making a difference, performing miracles and healings in His Name. The world stood up and noticed.
This will never happen if we are focusing on what is going on around us.The only thing which will happen then, is we will get in dread, or fear or worry. Remember Jesus said there would be these perilous, hard times in the world. So why are we surprised! He also said be of good cheer for He as overcome the world. And we are in Him, and He is in us!
We are to look at Him, keep our focus on Him. (Remember the meaning of the word focus – the center of interest or activity.)
When we first said yes to His offer of salvation, and to His forgiveness of our sins, become born-again. We gave ourselves, body, soul and spirit to Him. He comes in by the Holy Spirit, and resides in us forever. How much we yield to Him (obey), and follow His loving direction, and leading, determines how much peace and joy we will have in the midst of our troubles. It’s called walking in the spirit, abiding, and dwelling in Him—focused on Him.
You ask, how can I ever do that? The better question is—WILL we do it!
He never asks us to do something we can’t do. It begins in the word. We are to love His word, and partake of it as we do our daily food. It is in the word, at His feet daily, where we get filled with Him, and His peace and joy. As we come and rest in Him, and pray, and commune together – it is then the fears and worries will have to go. For His presence is the place of the fullness of joy. It is in His word and in His presence we see that He has indeed overcome the world. We see we are more than conquerors in Him.
We leave His secret place, and bring His fragrance into a rotten-egg-smelling world. We don’t focus on this world, but by faith we focus on Him. It is then we have the power to not succumb to the ever present negative influences around us.
We learn to cling to His promises as we would cling to a life preserver in the midst of the ocean, when we can’t even swim. If you let go of the life preserver you will drown. God has given us His word as our life preserver – if we let go we will sink into the waters of fear, doubt, anxiety, worry and dread.
We are temporary citizens of world. But, our permanent and over ruling, and eternal citizenship is in heaven. We march to the tune of heaven’s drum beat.
With our focus on Him, we can have peace and grace to function in our world. He tells us He is our refuge and strength, He is a very present help in trouble. Therefore, we will not fear. Even though the earth be removed, and the mountains be carried in the midst of the sea, and the waters roar and are troubled. We are to be still and know He is God. (Psalm 46)
Each day we need to take a focus check. When we sense we are getting out of peace and joy, we look and see what it is we are focusing on. If it is not him and His promises, then we will falter. Turn from looking at the things of this world back to Him and peace and joy will return. Look up!