“I lift up my eyes to you,
to you who sit enthroned in heaven.”
Psalm 123:1 NIV
What are we to do when our world no longer makes sense? What are those who follow Jesus to do? I believe an old refrain holds the key:
Turn your eyes upon Jesus, Look full in His wonderful face,
And the things of earth will grow strangely dim, In the light of His glory and grace.
A while back, I had the sweet privilege of serving women in my area as a leader for a community Bible study. Before we’d meet every Thursday, our leadership team began by singing this familiar chorus.
Tendering our hearts in song was effective. The things of earth — never-ending to-do lists, work deadlines, disagreements among friends, challenges with children, arguments with a spouse, health concerns, financial pressures, the clatter of politics, even some of our anxieties and feeling not enough — grow strangely dim. Our worries wither under the blaze of God’s glory.
When we focus on Jesus instead of circumstances, our circumstances may not change, but we sure do.
I know what it’s like to wander around and feel lost, to wrestle in a sea of doubt, to question beliefs you once held dear. And while I don’t know what’s going on with you personally, I know all of us are affected by what’s going on in the world.
How can we possibly handle it? We can’t. We aren’t even supposed to — that’s why we have a Savior! Isn’t that liberating?
Let’s remind one another that the gospel is good news. When we are mindful of who God is and what He has accomplished in our lives and in our world… When we trust that He is good and loves us without condition… When we study His Word, claim His promises, and accept the forgiveness He offers… When we believe that He holds the whole world in His hands… When we turn our eyes upon Jesus…
We will find peace.
To me, focusing on Jesus isn’t just one way we can best handle a world that feels crazy. It’s the only way.
Dear Robin……..I wish to thank you for your written words today as I sit here with the news on, and there is nothing GOOD on the news these days. Sometimes I only watch it for 10 minutes and then I just can’t continue, as I know there is nothing WE can do about it, but what about our grandchildren and what they will have to face things without us? I have turned to Jesus so often as I still struggle with 6 years now of completely being cut off by my son and my 1 grandchild who will be 16 soon. I will admit that my way of praying has changed due to going through the book, “100 Days of Strength in Any Struggle” for the second time. The first time I did it over a year and a half ago and I find that what I wrote in the journal area is much different that what I wrote the first time. I just read, one of your stories the other day and I love the way you write. Today, I am on day 75 and loving every minute. I encourage anyone who is struggleing with a problem that is very upsetting to you to get this book as the Journal where you write what you feel helps so much when you write it down. Robin, I wish you a very Blessed New Year and even though the world stresses me, I know with Jesus, there is ALWAYS HOPE and that is what I key on. I do have my days that a just can’t hold it in and I use those days by what I call “my Sorrow Days” as sometimes as human beings, we just need to leave it out or it haunts us always. Love to you, Robin……………..Betsy Basile
Along with this excellent devotion at incourage.me, I read Mrs. Cowman’s Streams in the Desert Mornings and Evening. Today’s selection (January3) reminded me that two days belong to the Lord, yesterday and tomorrow, and we are not meant to carry the burdens of those days. The Lord gives us today and as we keep our eyes on Jesus…we can manage and trust Him for each day. Thank you Robin for reminding us of the classic refrain! One of my favorites!!
Robin, love the message in your reflection. I especially love the last two lines: “To me, focusing on Jesus isn’t just one way we can best handle a world that feels crazy. It’s the only way.” I choose to live F.R.O.G. – Fully Relying On God. God is our only source of peace in a world that is anything but peaceful.
I love the ending you wrote in the box “When we focus on Jesus… our circumstances may not change, but we sure do.” It reminds me that sometimes my focus is on the wrong thing, but if I can shift it back to Jesus things can happen and it’s amazing when it does. Last year was a really rough year for me, I lost 2 very important people in my life and it’s been hard to navigate without them. But I managed to get back to church in December, and I’ve done a lot of crying since, but I know He’s holding those I’ve lost and now I have 2 more angels to watch over me. I was lost in a sea of sadness for a while, but once I put my focus back on Jesus life got a little easier again. It won’t ever be as good as it was, but its starting to feel okay again and that’s a good thing.