As I look at the world around me I see so much that doesn't make sense. Violence, death, tragic loss, unexplained pain and so much more. With a world that has so much brokenness, it becomes so easy to get swept into hopelessness, anger, depression.
When life becomes hard, when there are situations that I don't have answers for, when I just can't understand why; I find myself focusing on everything that's wrong, that I can't explain, that I can't fix. I let my mind wonder and I find myself struggling, confused, angry and sad. I can take a wonderful, beautiful, new day and turn in into a very dark, cloudy, don't want to do anything sort of day. Well that was my day yesterday. I got so focused on everything that was wrong; unexplained, tragic loss; not having a place to call our own (that's another story); the list of things I had to do alone (my husband is out of town on a business trip); just one thing after another kept filling up my thoughts and I made the mistake of dwelling on them. By the time I got my kids into bed last night I was down right angry, physically tired and mentally exhausted.
This morning I had to fight myself to get up before everyone else so I could do my quiet time, but I was so thankful that I did. Grabbed my coffee, bible, journal, devotional and pen. As soon as I sat down and opened up my devotional the Lord gently spoke, "You took your eyes off of Me, you let your feelings, your situations, your fears fill you yesterday." All I could do was stop reading and start praying. I had to ask for forgiveness and I thanked Him for His mercies that our new every morning. After my prayer time I read the following verse in my daily devotion.
Ps 61:2 - From the ends of the earth I call to you, I call as my heart grows faint; lead me to the rock that is higher than I.
Yesterday, I LET my heart grow faint, I LET my eyes be taken off My Rock, I LET this broken world overtake my joy. There is so much I don't understand, so many things I don't have answers for, but when I don't allow the troubles of this world to over take me I HAVE faith. Faith that there is a God and He loves me. Faith that this world is not all there is. Faith that one day we will be in a place with no more pain, hurt or sickness.
When we allow the broken things of the world to become our focus, we lose sight of God's promises; we lose sight of the Hope we have in Jesus Christ. No, this world is not an easy place to live and Jesus told us we would have trouble, but He also told us to take heart because He overcame the world.
John 16:33 - "I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world."
Ps 105:4 - Look to the Lord and his strength; seek his face always.
Allow the Lord to be your focus and your strength. Keep your eyes focused on Him, His truths and His promises.
1 Thess 5:16-18 - Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks is all circumstances; for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus.
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