It is during the darkest moments of our life that we must shift our focus to clearly see the light.
I thought of this one day as my daughter shared an insightful truth with me.
My daughter has battled anxiety in the past. When driving, there are some long bridges over deep waters that would cause her anxiety.
One day, as we headed out of town, we came to a bridge that, in the past, caused her anxiety. She drove over it without saying a word or even slowing down. When we arrived on the other side she said, “Thirty-five seconds.” I just looked at her as she explained, “It takes thirty-five seconds to get across that bridge.”
She went on to explain that if she shifts her focus and concentrates on something else, the bridge does not cause her to be anxious.
Aha. This, you see, if a biblical truth, as well as an insightful perception.
Isaiah 26:3 says, “You will keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on You, because he trusts in You.”
Peace comes only when our focus is on God and His word. We can’t focus on what is going wrong or lack or how someone has hurt us. We must focus only on God and His word, if we are to remain in peace.
Many things will attempt to get our focus. Sickness will get our focus. Lack will demand our attention. Our jobs or ministry may dominate our thoughts. Yet, one truth remains. God will keep us in perfect peace as our mind is stayed upon Him.
Philippians 4:6 is another scripture that talks about the importance of our focus. It says,“Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God.”
When anxiety about a certain thing tries to overwhelm you, refuse to be anxious. Instead pray about your situation. When you are finished praying, thank God that He heard you and has answered your prayer. Then go a step further and thank Him for everything He has done for you. Enter into thanksgiving! As you do, you will find, your mind becomes refocused on God and His word. Once your mind is back on God, peace will flood your mind and your heart.
It is when our heart is at peace that we are able to hear God’s voice clearly. However, when we are anxious, it becomes difficult to hear God speaking to us with clarity. Oh! But when peace floods our soul, then we can easily hear the voice of God. When we hear His voice, He will tell us what to do. For this reason alone, it is vital we keep our eyes and our thoughts on God.
Romans 4:19-21 says, “And not being weak in faith, he did not consider his own body, already dead (since he was about a hundred years old), and the deadness of Sarah’s womb. He did not waver at the promise of God through unbelief, but was strengthened in faith, giving glory to God, and being fully convinced that what He had promised He was also able to perform.”
Remember how Abraham refused to get his focus on his age or Sarah’s womb? He kept his focus on one thing. He latched onto what God had said. He was fully persuaded that God would do what He said He would do. He refused to give his attention to anything else.
This is what we must do in every situation that is contrary to God’s word. We must refuse to give it our attention. We must instead keep our focus entirely on God and His word.
It may mean more time in the word of God. It may mean more time in prayer. Whatever it means, do it. It will be time well spent.
Does something other than God have your attention today? If so, it is time to change your focus. God will keep you in perfect peace, regardless of what is going on around you, as you keep your mind on Him.
Meditate on this!
Because he has focused his love on me, I will deliver him. I will protect him because he knows my name. When he calls out to me, I will answer him. I will be with him in his distress. I will deliver him, and I will honor him. Psalm 91:14-15
Thank you for the email this morning about Keeping focus. It came to my iPad at 4am this morning. It was about the time I was in distress. I was awakened with a word spoken to me, in my sleep , that was short but very hurtful , accusing words. It seemed as if it was spoken in my ear. I had to get up and rush to my prayer closet and seek the mind of Christ. I thought : “those words could not have come from Jesus’ mouth.” After going back to bed, peaceful sleep was easy. Now here is the good part! When I got up and saw your message.. it was sent just as I was praying and as I read it, I was so excited that this message was sent to me just at the right moment. My Peace returned and the ugly words that were spoken to me were from The Accuser, and had no more hold on my mind. Wow! God is confirming His mind and exposing where the words really came from. I love it when that happens!